Unlocking the Chemistry of Exercise: How Metabolites Separate the Physically Fit from Unfit

A screening of hundreds of metabolites in the blood plasma of people at rest and after exercise paints a newly detailed picture of changes within the body--and reinforces links with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases

By Katherine Harmon   

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EXERCISE'S LASTING EFFECTS: Although many metabolites have been profiled in muscles, the impact of exercise on the levels of these compounds in blood plasma has remained less clear. A new large-scale study begins to describe some of the correlations they seem to have with physical fitness level.
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The virtues of exercise are myriad: better cardiovascular health, decreased risk for diabetes, boosted mood, and even perhaps a leaner physique. But aside from such macro links and knowledge about the heart rates, blood–oxygen levels and hormonal responses related to exercise, scientists have a relatively cursory understanding of the chemical mechanisms at work in the body during and after physical activity.

A new study, published online May 26 in Science Translational Medicine, presents a thorough profile of exercise's impact on the human body's metabolites in plasma—and reveals vast biological differences among more- and less-fit individuals. The findings also reinforce links between exercise and insulin sensitivity as well as point to new ways to enhance exercise for both healthy individuals and those suffering from cardiovascular or metabolic diseases.

suite : http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=chemistry-of-exercise