Does physical exercise have the ability to change genes?

Epigenetics is a science that studies how environmental stimuli can activate certain genes and silence others. According to a study published in the journal Scientific Reports, the habit of practicing physical exercises may generate epigenetic benefits. In today's article, we're going to talk a little more about this study and about the relationship between epigenetics and the practice of physical exercises.

Read more: Know the importance of physical exercise in your daily life

Epigenetics X Physical exercises

With epigenetics it was possible to discover that some genes can remain dormant throughout life or be activated by external factors, such as the environment in which you live, eating habits and the practice of physical exercises. This last factor greatly intrigued some Washington State University (WSU) researchers who did a study of 70 pairs of identical twins, tracking their exercise habits.

Identical twins were chosen for this study because they have the same DNA and because they do not share the same health and exercise habits and live in different environments.

Results

When analyzing the results, it was possible to notice that the more physically active twins had reduced epigenetic markers for Down Syndrome metabolic. Considering only genetics, regardless of external factors, this could not happen, since both should present the same result.

Physical exercise serves as a protective factor at the molecular level against the development of syndromes metabolic disorders, which can lead to more serious diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and heart problems.

Therefore, such results are strong evidence that proves that physical exercise can cause epigenetic changes in individuals. However, despite this being great evidence, the WSU researchers say there is still a need for more research on the subject. area in order to better understand how these processes occur and how epigenetics can contribute to our health.