But many scientists who study the links between exercise and heart health have pointed out that these changes, considered together, explain only about half of the reported statistical reductions in cardiac disease and death. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyOther, more complex physiological modifications must simultaneously be taking place within the heart itself during and after exercise, these researchers have speculated. These genes release proteins that are thought to help cells adapt to the physiological stress of exercise and, in the process, also indirectly maintain telomere health. It turned out that immediately after a single, 30-minute jog, the runners’ heart cells were noticeably different than those of the animals that had not moved. So it may be necessary, Dr. Ludlow says, to stick with an exercise routine for some time in order to realize the cellular benefits for the heart.

Source: New York Times February 15, 2017 10:52 UTC