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It's been known for many decades that exercise helps to build and strengthen your muscles, but more recent research is revealing that this is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the potential role exercise can play in your health. Far from just helping you to "bulk up" or lose weight, arguably the two top reasons why many people star t working out, a new review in Applied Physiology: Nutrition and Metabolism points out that exercise induces changes in mitochondrial enzyme content and activity, which can increase your cellular energy production and in so doing decrease your risk of chronic disease. Exercise is a Potent Disease-Fighter Writing in Applied Physiology: Nutrition and Metabolism, researchers state: "Increasing evidence now suggests that exercise can induce mitochondrial biogenesis in a wide range of tissues not normally associated with the metabolic demands of exercise. Per turbations [changes] in mitochondrial content and (or) function have been linked to a wide variety of diseases, in multiple tissues, and exercise may serve as a potent approach by which to prevent and (or) treat these pathologies." Aside from impacting your skeletal muscle and fat tissue, researchers noted that exercise induces mitochondrial changes that may also benefit your liver, brain and kidneys. The mitochondria are the energy chamber of your cells responsible for the utilization of energy for all metabolic functions. Increasing mitochondrial activity is incredibly impor tant because free radicals, which are toxic byproducts of metabolism as well as exposures to chemicals, pollutants and other toxins, can overwhelm your body's defenses, leading to oxidative damage to cells and tissues that can destroy cellular proteins, lipids and DNA, as well as lead to the loss of mitochondrial function. In the long-term, irreversible damage in the mitochondria can occur, leading to: • Impaired ability to utilize carbohydrates and fat for energy • Insulin resistance • Lower threshold for physical exercise • Excessive weight gain • Accelerated aging The Wrong Type of Exercise Can Actually Damage Your Mitochondria One of the most common causes of mitochondrial damage is aerobic over training. According to fitness exper t Ori Hofmekler, "When done chronically [aerobics], it causes accumulated oxidative stress in the mitochondria with increased risk of oxidative damage. And when chronic aerobic over training comes along with inadequate nutrition (such as with those dieters who obsessively Exercise induces changes in mitochondrial activity that can increase your cellular energy production and in so doing decrease your risk of chronic disease. The benefits of exercise extend beyond your muscles and hear t to include your liver, brain, kidneys, and other tissues. Overdoing aerobics can actually cause mitochondrial damage, which is why it's impor tant to replace excessive cardio with shor t bursts of high-intensity activity. You can kick your exercise program up a notch and expe - rience even more anti-aging benefits by combining it with intermittent fasting. Exercise Radically Increases Your Cellular Energy Production Page 34| Abby's Magazine - www.AbbysMag.com