Plenty of scientific evidence indicates that exercise is good for our health. It benefits our hearts, bones, and muscles, boosts brain health, and may even fight off cancer.1,2,3 Now, a study shows that alongside the muscles and heart, the liver contributes to some of the positive effects of exercise.
Researchers at Stanford University found that after consistent exercise, the liver produces an enzyme that boosts exercise performance, enhances weight loss, and improves glucose tolerance in mice. Published in Cell Metabolism, the study challenges the conventional muscle-centric view of exercise, revealing that tissues throughout the body respond to breaking a sweat.4
Jonathan Long, an exercise physiologist and coauthor of the study, said that the reasons why exercise improves health are largely mysterious. “It’s one of the best things you can do for yourself. And despite that, we don’t really know why it’s good for you or how it works.”
In previous ...
