Exercise: The Hormonal Medicine Your Body Makes for Itself How exercise changes your hormones — from the first few minutes to many years of regular activity
Exercise is often described as a way to burn calories, strengthen muscles and improve heart health. But there is another fascinating side to exercise: when we move our bodies, our muscles, brain, adrenal glands and other organs communicate with each other by releasing hormones and hormone-like substances. In fact, skeletal muscle is now considered an endocrine organ because contracting muscles release biologically active substances called myokines , which can influence metabolism, inflammation, the brain, immune system and other organs. The hormonal response to exercise is not the same every time. There is a difference between what happens during one exercise session and what happens after months or years of regular exercise . 1. What happens during the first few minutes of exercise? When you start walking, running, cycling or exercising, your body immediately recognizes that its energy requirements have increased. The sympathetic nervous system becomes activated and the adrena...