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“Exercise in a pill” could offer solution for at-risk people:
Researchers from The Australian National University (ANU) have identified unique molecular signals in the body that could hold the key to developing a supplement capable of administering the health benefits of exercise to patients incapable of physical activity.
The molecular messages are sent to our brain and potentially our eyes immediately after we exercise.
The ANU team is conducting research to better understand what impact these molecular messages have on retinal health, but also the central nervous system and eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD).Associate Professor Riccardo Natoli, Head of Clear Vision Research at ANU, says the molecules could potentially be hijacked, recoded and "bottled up" in a pill and taken like a vitamin.
"The beneficial messages being sent to the central nervous system during exercise are packaged up in what are known as lipid particles. We are essentially prescribing the molecular message of exercise to those who physically aren't able to," he said."We think that as you age, the ability to communicate between the muscles and the retina starts to be lost. Similar to taking supplements, maybe we can provide genetic or molecular supplementation that enables that natural biological process to continue as we age.
"Our goal is to figure out what these molecules are communicating to the body and how they're communicating."
Journal Reference:
Joshua A. Chu-Tan, Max Kirkby, Riccardo Natoli. Running to save sight: The effects of exercise on retinal health and function, Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology (DOI: 10.1111/ceo.14023)
(Score: 2) by Opportunist on Thursday December 02 2021, @02:55PM (4 children)
"Long term effects" usually show up pretty quickly, despite their name. Something having a long term effect generally means that the onset will be rather quickly, but has a lasting effect.
A different case is the effect of long term use. That's a completely different beast. But please let's not muddle the waters here.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 02 2021, @03:05PM (3 children)
Sometimes they do, not always. That's why it's so important to have longitudinal studies done on new treatments as it can take years for some of the more subtle signs to show up.
(Score: 2) by Opportunist on Thursday December 02 2021, @03:34PM (2 children)
The signs usually present themselves early, but it sometimes can take time to connect them to a problem.
As stated above, our body reacts to a new stimulus pretty early on, the key question is whether we notice that initial reaction. And of course if prolonged exposure happens.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday December 03 2021, @05:40PM (1 child)
early like the DDT toxicity / bioaccumulation effects?
(Score: 2) by Opportunist on Friday December 03 2021, @10:05PM
Bioaccumulation as in, say, prolonged exposure?