Scientists reveal muscles act as endocrine organ benefiting multiple body systems
Updated
Updated · ScienceAlert · May 7
Scientists reveal muscles act as endocrine organ benefiting multiple body systems
7 articles · Updated · ScienceAlert · May 7
The report says contracting muscles release hundreds of myokines, while exercise also triggers exerkines; IL-6 can rise up to 100-fold during high-intensity or endurance activity.
These signals help regulate immunity, neuroplasticity, glucose and fat metabolism, vascular function and bone remodelling, helping explain lower risks of diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis and cognitive decline in active people.
Reviews cited from 2022 and 2024 link inactivity to higher disease and all-cause mortality, while The Lancet Oncology identified sedentary lifestyles as a risk factor for more than 10 cancers.
Can specific workouts be prescribed like medicine to release cancer-fighting molecules from our muscles?
Could an 'exercise pill' soon deliver all the health benefits of a workout without the sweat?
How does exercising your legs directly train your brain to fight dementia and improve memory?
Decoding the Muscle Endocrine Code: Precision Exercise Medicine for Systemic Health
Overview
Recent breakthroughs have revealed that skeletal muscle acts as a dynamic endocrine organ, encoding exercise details into complex signals that regulate multiple body systems. These signals, including myokines like IL-6, irisin, and BDNF, communicate with organs such as the brain, liver, and fat tissue to promote metabolism, immune balance, tissue repair, and cognitive health. The effects depend on exercise type, intensity, and individual factors like age and sex. Chronic inactivity disrupts this communication, causing resistance to these signals. Advances in technology and biomarker research are driving precision exercise medicine, enabling personalized exercise prescriptions and therapeutic development to maximize health benefits and prevent chronic diseases.