Well hello there. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve put a blog out as I’ve leaned into the summer vibes and new freedoms. I have been back and forth to Chicago a couple times, seeing my beloved family, to the coast for the 4th, and a road trip to Port Angeles visiting dear friends. I hope that you too, are adventuring and reconnecting.

Summer brings the opportunity to increase the amount of exercise we do. If you are reading this blog, then you’re likely interested in good skin. Exercise, hands down, is good for our body and this week I show how engaging in endurance exercise can also help prevent age-related skin changes!

As we age, our skin changes. The structure of the skin deteriorates; cells don’t multiply as much, collagen production decreases, and its barrier becomes less efficient (1). It has been shown that it occurs in part due to a decrease in a cell’s mitochondrial function (2). The mitochondria is the cell’s powerhouse, the place where energy is produced (3). There is increasing evidence that mitochondrial function is a big player in the aging process (4). Changes in mitochondrial function results in premature skin aging and mimics that of photo aging.

Further, when we stimulate mitochondrial function, the skin heals faster and slows signs of aging (5).

When we engage in regular aerobic exercise, there tends to be an overall increase in energy. I know from my experience, that exercise results in a net increase in energy that I feel. I may feel tired that day, but overall I feel more energized. This may be in part from exercise’s ability to stimulate mitochondrial function; remember that the mitochondria produce energy.

In a study looking for skin changes with exercise, two groups of people were compared. One group was the active group, who exercised over 4 hours each week with high intensity exercise. The second group, or the sedentary group, engaged in endurance exercise less than one hour each week. Skin samples were taken to evaluate skin cells and cheek swabs to evaluate cellular mitochondria. Overall, skin was thicker and with more mitochondria in the active group as compared to the sedentary group. The authors concluded that exercise can attenuate some aspects of skin aging and the changes are because of increased mitochondrial function (5).

With summer also comes the sun and the sun is a major factor in skin aging (AKA photo aging). Keep applying that sunscreen and lean into a good hat. I am loving my green Roxy hat these days. The moral of the story: move your body! Just make sure you’re wearing sunscreen and a hat.

Resources

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12437452/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4531076/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK9896/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30059016/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4531076/