Until recently, muscle was considered in purely mechanical terms. But we now know that when muscles contract, they produce hormone-like chemical messengers or “myokines,” generating exponentially more when bigger muscles and more intense contractions are involved.
Myokines allow muscle to communicate with many other tissues in our body. For example, the receptors of myokines are found in fat, liver, pancreas, bone, heart, immune, and brain cells. Myokines are responsible for tissue regeneration and repair, maintaining healthy bodily functioning, and cell signaling.
This represents a new way of looking at muscle: as one of the most active endocrine (hormone-producing) organs in our body—when they are contracted intensely.
For this reason, a brief New Element Training session can deliver more health benefits than hours of conventional exercise.
The research-based benefits offered by myokines (and hence strength training in general) include:
Builds muscle tissue mass. For example, it downregulates myostatin, a gene responsible for inhibiting muscle growth. It also upregulates decorin, a myokine associated with gene expression that promotes muscle growth.
Decreases fat, including visceral (organ), intramuscular (within muscle), and subcutaneous (under the skin).
Increases resting energy expenditure.
Prevents bone mineral density loss.
Improves insulin sensitivity by increasing cellular glucose uptake.
Decreases chronic, systemic inflammation. For example, the exercise-induced interleukin-6 myokine (IL-6) increases circulating levels of potent anti-inflammatory hormones, such as IL-1RA and IL-10.
Inhibits mammary cancer cell growth. For example, SPARC and OSM myokines have an anti-tumorigenic effect.
Improves pancreas, liver, and gut function.
Aids learning and memory. For example, it upregulates the expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) myokine, which has been identified as a key factor in controlling body mass and energy homeostasis, as well as cognitive function. Read more scientific research about myokines.
