Resistance Training Found to Potentially Rejuvenate Skin Cells, Combatting Wrinkles
Discover how regular exercise can rejuvenate your skin! Learn about the surprising benefits of aerobic and resistance training on skin elasticity, thickness, and overall appearance.
DR ANITA JAMWAL MS
8/20/20247 min read
A new study published in Scientific Reports reveals that regular exercise can significantly improve skin health. Aging skin is often seen as an inevitable part of life. However, a recent study has shown that exercise can reverse some of the aging effects on the skin. Researchers in Japan divided middle-aged women into two groups: one performed aerobic exercises like cycling, and the other focused on resistance training. Both groups experienced improvements in skin elasticity and overall skin structure. Resistance training, in particular, led to a thicker dermis, a key factor in youthful skin. These benefits are linked to reduced inflammation, increased muscle-derived proteins, and changes in blood metabolites. The study suggests that incorporating both aerobic and resistance training into your routine can help maintain healthy, youthful skin. It's never too late to start exercising, and the benefits extend far beyond your skin, improving overall health and well-being.
Key Points
Exercise is a powerful anti-aging tool: Regular physical activity can significantly improve skin health.
Both aerobic and resistance training benefit skin: Activities like cycling, running, and weightlifting can enhance skin elasticity and structure.
Resistance training can increase skin thickness: This is particularly beneficial as dermal thinning is a common sign of aging.
Exercise reduces inflammation: This helps combat skin aging, as chronic inflammation contributes to skin damage.
Exercise increases beneficial proteins: Myokines, released by muscles during exercise, promote skin health.
Consistency is key: Regular exercise over time yields the best results for skin improvement.
Exercise offers overall health benefits: Beyond skin health, exercise improves heart health, mood, cognitive function, and reduces disease risk.
The Power of Exercise: How Aerobic and Resistance Training Can Rejuvenate Your Skin
As we age, our skin undergoes various changes that can leave us looking older than we feel. From loss of elasticity to thinning of the dermis, these effects of aging are often viewed as inevitable. However, a groundbreaking new study suggests that regular exercise may be the key to maintaining youthful, healthy skin well into our later years.
The Research: Comparing Aerobic and Resistance Training
A team of researchers in Japan set out to investigate how different types of exercise affect skin aging. They conducted a 16-week intervention study with 61 healthy, sedentary middle-aged women. The participants were randomly divided into two groups:
Aerobic Training (AT) Group: Performed cycling exercises
Resistance Training (RT) Group: Performed strength training with weight machines
Both groups exercised twice per week under the supervision of certified trainers. The researchers measured various skin properties, body composition, and physical capacity before and after the 16-week period. They also analyzed blood samples to examine changes in circulating factors like cytokines, hormones, and metabolites.
Key Findings: Exercise Can Improve Multiple Aspects of Skin Health
After 16 weeks, both the AT and RT groups showed significant improvements in several skin aging parameters:
Increased Skin Elasticity: Both types of exercise led to improved skin elasticity, which tends to decrease with age. This means the skin became more capable of returning to its original position after being stretched or compressed.
Enhanced Upper Dermal Structure: The upper layer of the dermis showed improvements in both groups. This was measured by a decrease in low echogenic pixels (LEPs) in ultrasound images, indicating a reduction in the "aging band" often seen in older skin.
Increased Expression of Extracellular Matrix (ECM) Genes: When the researchers exposed skin fibroblasts to blood plasma from the participants, they found increased expression of genes related to collagen, hyaluronan, and proteoglycans. These components are crucial for maintaining skin structure and hydration.
Resistance Training: A Unique Benefit for Dermal Thickness
While both types of exercise showed benefits, resistance training had a unique advantage:
Increased Dermal Thickness: Only the RT group experienced a significant increase in dermal thickness. This is particularly noteworthy because dermal thinning is a hallmark of aging skin.
The Molecular Mechanisms: How Exercise Rejuvenates Skin
The researchers didn't stop at observing these improvements; they dug deeper to understand the molecular mechanisms behind them. Here's what they discovered:
Inflammatory Factors: Both AT and RT led to decreases in various inflammatory factors in the blood. Chronic inflammation is known to contribute to skin aging, so reducing these factors may help slow the aging process.
Increased Myokines: Exercise increases the levels of certain myokines – proteins released by muscle tissue during exercise. Some of these, like IL-15, have been previously linked to skin health improvements.
Changes in Metabolites: The study found alterations in various metabolites circulating in the blood after exercise, which may contribute to skin rejuvenation.
Spotlight on Biglycan: A Key Player in Skin Thickness
The researchers identified a particularly interesting finding related to resistance training and skin thickness. They found that RT specifically increased the expression of a gene called biglycan (BGN) in skin fibroblasts. Biglycan is a protein that plays a crucial role in maintaining the structure of the dermis. Further investigation revealed that RT decreased the levels of certain factors in the blood (CCL28, N, N-dimethylglycine, and CXCL4) that normally suppress biglycan expression. By reducing these suppressive factors, RT allowed for increased biglycan production, potentially explaining the observed increase in dermal thickness.
Practical Implications: Incorporating Exercise into Your Skincare Routine
So, what does this mean for those of us looking to maintain youthful, healthy skin? Here are some key takeaways:
Exercise is a Powerful Anti-Aging Tool: This study provides strong evidence that regular exercise can have significant benefits for skin health, beyond just the general health benefits we already know about.
Both Aerobic and Resistance Training Are Beneficial: Whether you prefer cycling, running, or weightlifting, your skin can benefit. Incorporating both types of exercise into your routine may provide the most comprehensive benefits.
Consistency is Key: The participants in this study exercised twice per week for 16 weeks. While more research is needed to determine the optimal frequency and duration, this suggests that a consistent, long-term exercise routine is important for seeing skin benefits.
It's Never Too Late to Start: The participants in this study were middle-aged women who were previously sedentary. This indicates that even if you haven't been a regular exerciser in the past, starting now can still yield significant benefits for your skin.
Resistance Training May Have Extra Benefits: If maintaining skin thickness is a particular concern, incorporating resistance training into your routine may be especially beneficial.
Beyond Skin Deep: Other Benefits of Exercise
While this study focused on skin health, it's worth noting that the benefits of regular exercise extend far beyond the surface. Both aerobic and resistance training have been shown to:
Improve cardiovascular health
Increase muscle strength and mass
Enhance bone density
Boost mood and mental health
Improve cognitive function
Reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and certain cancers
The fact that exercise can now add "skin rejuvenation" to its long list of benefits only further cements its status as one of the most powerful tools we have for maintaining overall health and wellness as we age.
Limitations and Future Research
As with any scientific study, it's important to note some limitations:
The study focused on middle-aged women, so more research is needed to confirm if the results apply equally to men or different age groups.
The study duration was 16 weeks – longer-term studies could provide insight into the sustainability of these benefits.
While the researchers identified some molecular mechanisms, there's still much to learn about exactly how exercise affects skin at the cellular level.
Future research directions could include:
Comparing different types and intensities of exercise
Investigating the optimal frequency and duration of exercise for skin benefits
Exploring potential synergistic effects between exercise and topical skincare products
Studying how exercise might affect other aspects of skin health, such as wound healing or protection against UV damage
Integrating Exercise into Your Anti-Aging Routine
If you're inspired to harness the skin-rejuvenating power of exercise, here are some tips for getting started:
Start Gradually: If you're new to exercise, begin with low-intensity workouts and gradually increase the duration and intensity over time.
Mix It Up: Try to incorporate both aerobic and resistance training into your routine. This could mean alternating between cardio days and strength training days.
Find Activities You Enjoy: The best exercise routine is one you'll stick with. Whether it's dancing, swimming, yoga, or weightlifting, choose activities that you find fun and engaging.
Stay Consistent: Aim for at least two 30-minute sessions per week, as in the study. As you build stamina and strength, you can increase the frequency and duration.
Listen to Your Body: While some muscle soreness is normal when starting a new exercise routine, be aware of any pain or discomfort and consult a healthcare professional if needed.
Stay Hydrated: Proper hydration is crucial for both exercise performance and skin health.
Protect Your Skin: If exercising outdoors, don't forget to apply sunscreen to protect your skin from UV damage.
Be Patient: The skin benefits observed in this study occurred over 16 weeks. Give your body time to adapt and don't get discouraged if you don't see immediate changes.
Conclusion: Exercise as a Fountain of Youth for Your Skin
This groundbreaking research provides compelling evidence that regular exercise can be a powerful tool in our anti-aging arsenal, particularly when it comes to skin health. By improving skin elasticity, enhancing dermal structure, and even increasing skin thickness (in the case of resistance training), exercise offers a natural, holistic approach to maintaining youthful, healthy skin. What's particularly exciting about these findings is that they suggest exercise can influence skin health from the inside out, working at a molecular level to create lasting changes. Unlike topical treatments that only affect the surface of the skin, exercise appears to create systemic changes that benefit the entire body, including our largest organ, the skin. As we continue to search for ways to slow the aging process and maintain our health and vitality, this research underscores the incredible power of regular physical activity. Not only can exercise help us feel younger by improving our physical fitness and mental well-being, but it may also help us look younger by rejuvenating our skin at a cellular level.
So the next time you're debating whether to hit the gym or go for a run, remember—you're not just working out for your heart, muscles, and mind. You're also giving your skin a rejuvenating workout, helping to maintain that youthful glow from the inside out. In the quest for healthy aging, exercise truly is a remarkable tool, offering benefits that are more than skin deep.
Journal Reference
Nishikori, S., Yasuda, J., Murata, K., Takegaki, J., Harada, Y., Shirai, Y., & Fujita, S. (2023). Resistance training rejuvenates aging skin by reducing circulating inflammatory factors and enhancing dermal extracellular matrices. Scientific Reports, 13. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-37207-9
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