You Won’t Believe What 10 Minutes on the Treadmill Can Do for Your Body

Exercise is crucial for good health – everyone knows this. However, most of us are still imprisoned by the misconception that exercising for a short period of time has little to no effect on our bodies.

A study conducted by the Stanford University School of Medicine has smashed that wrongful thinking. It has found that just 10 minutes spent on your treadmill can alter over 9,800 molecules in your body. The research, which was published in Cell, has taken a look at the changes to the blood after workouts.

It is still unclear what the implications of molecular changes are but researchers are sure that these have something to do with bodily functions. They noted that these alterations affect digestion, immune system, and metabolic processes.

The study quantified the molecules of 100 adults and they chose 36 of the original group, including the lead author, Michael Snyder. Fit to overweight respondents, who were between 40 and 75, had their blood taken before they jogged on the treadmill for just 10 minutes.

Ryan De Hamer/Unsplash Just 10 minutes on the treadmill can do you wonders

The authors found that 9,815 of the 17,662 molecules checked had changed after the exercise. Although the study was small scale and the participants only did a single workout, Michael still plans to do more experiments to know if the typical blood test can ascertain a person’s fitness.

Benefits of Exercises

This just underscores the role of exercise in a person’s health. If you’re still not convinced that you need to ditch the couch potato life, here are other things that may force you to get up and moving:

Now that the Covid-19 pandemic has us reaching or ordering for comfort foods, most of us have added a few pounds. It’s definitely not too late to start exercising, which has long been found to help in weight loss.

Luis Quintero/Unsplash Exercising can improve your mood

Studies have shown that mixing aerobic and resistance training can greatly aid in fat loss while maintaining muscle mass, which is essential in continuous weight loss.

It’s not only about your physique as it has been found to benefit a person’s mental health. It has been shown that working out prompts the release of endorphins, which are hormones that make you feel better.

It is also a great way to reduce symptoms of and regulate depression and anxiety, thanks to the heightened sensitivity of your brain to norepinephrine and serotonin, which is also called the ‘happy hormone,’ after working out. Science has found that it improves your mood, regardless of the intensity.

Fernando/Unsplash Working out has been known to reduce the symptoms of depression

If you’re not looking to exercise regularly just because your BMI is still normal or you have healthy psychological wellbeing, then know that it can prevent chronic diseases, too. If you remain inactive, it increases belly fat, which causes an increase in the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, among many others.