Various forms of exercise modify the molecules in our muscles, new research claims, according to a study published Monday in Cell Metabolism. Exercise unlocks the identification of the novel C18ORF25 gene, which is triggered with all types of exercise and is in control of boosting muscular strength, researchers say.
According to the study, led by University of Melbourne researchers in collaboration with the University of Copenhagen, animals lacking C18ORF25 perform poorly during activity and have weaker muscles.
The team was able to recognize the molecular similarities and differences between different types of exercise in human muscle biopsies by analyzing proteins and how they change within cells in the study.
"Identifying this gene may impact how we manage healthy aging, diseases of muscle atrophy, sports science and even livestock and meat production. This is because promoting optimal muscle function is one of the best predictors of overall health.”
Dr. Benjamin Parker, University of Melbourne
C18ORF25 gene could lead to new and improved medical treatment
Melbourne's Dr. Benjamin Parker, the head researcher on the study, said that by activating the C18ORF25 gene, the study team could watch muscles grow significantly stronger without necessarily being larger.
He expressed hope that the discovery will promote exercise and its various health benefits and noted that it could potentially lead to the development of therapeutic treatments to mimic some of the benefits of working out.
"Identifying this gene may impact how we manage healthy aging, diseases of muscle atrophy, sports science and even livestock and meat production. This is because promoting optimal muscle function is one of the best predictors of overall health,” he said.
“We know exercise can prevent and treat chronic diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and many cancers," Parker continued.
"Now, we hope that by better understanding how different types of exercise elicits these health-promoting effects at the molecular level, the field can work towards making new and improved treatment options available.”