Interval Training For Cellular Health

Exercise is good for your mitochondria, the energy center of the cells in your body. The effort not only improves the function of existing mitochondria, it can generate new ones. A study published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology investigates which type of exercise is most effective for stimulating mitochondria function and generation.

In separate trials, 8 young adult subjects rode a stationary bike for half an hour at 50% of exercise capacity, did five 4-minute intervals at 75% capacity with 1 minute of active recovery in between or sprinted for four 30-second intervals of all-out effort with 4 ½ minutes of between interval active recovery.

Calories burned and changes in cell activity were measured after each bout of exercise. Researchers found that short duration high-intensity exercise produced results similar to much longer moderate intensity effort. That’s good news for people who have a hard time making time for hitting the gym.