In the quest for youthful, radiant skin, individuals often resort to an array of serums and lotions. However, a recent study suggests that embracing weightlifting might provide surprisingly effective results for skin health. Published in Scientific Reports, the study sheds light on the intriguing relationship between exercise and the skin.
Both aerobic exercise and weight training have been found to influence gene expression and enhance the underlying health of facial skin cells and tissues. Notably, resistance workouts exhibited benefits beyond those associated with endurance exercise. These findings contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the positive impact of exercise on skin health.
According to the Washington Post, Mark Tarnopolsky, a professor and physician at McMaster University in Canada, who has conducted research on exercise and skin health, commented on the study’s significance. He stated that the findings reinforce the notion that any form of exercise can be beneficial for skin health. Tarnopolsky, although not involved in the study, expressed enthusiasm about its implications.
Satoshi Fujita, an exercise scientist at Ritsumeikan University in Japan, oversaw the study and emphasized the positive impact of exercise on cellular-level skin health. The research indicated that individuals experienced a cellular-level rejuvenation of their skin upon initiating exercise. The most prominent effects were observed among those engaged in weightlifting.
The study, although focused on middle-aged Japanese women, holds relevance for anyone concerned about their skin’s well-being. Despite the common perception that exercise may have detrimental effects on skin structure and appearance, the study sought to challenge this notion. Fujita’s curiosity was piqued by an earlier study led by Tarnopolsky in 2015. This study involved analysing buttock skin biopsies from both active and sedentary individuals.
Tarnopolsky’s research showcased those active individuals had thinner outer skin layers (stratum corneum) and thicker dermal layers compared to their sedentary counterparts. Moreover, their skin cells harboured more and healthier mitochondria, the energy canters of cells, which are associated with youthful skin. Although Tarnopolsky’s study solely investigated endurance exercise, Fujita’s interest extended to the potential impacts of resistance training on skin health.
To explore this, he and his team gathered a group of sedentary middle-aged women for their study. They evaluated the elasticity, thickness, and structure of the facial skin’s dermal layers through techniques like ultrasound. Blood samples were collected, and the researchers tested various substances, adding drops of the blood to isolated facial skin cells in controlled environments. The participants were then divided into two groups – one engaged in cycling for 30 minutes, twice a week, and the other in weightlifting for the same duration and frequency.
After 16 weeks, the researchers re-evaluated the participants. Results indicated that both groups experienced improved skin elasticity and denser extracellular matrices, essential for skin structure. Genes related to skin collagen production were also more active, indicative of skin rejuvenation. However, only resistance training led to an increase in dermal layer thickness, potentially due to the activation of specialized genes that enhance connective tissue.
Although the study did not assess the visible appearance of the participants’ skin, Fujita suggested that the changes observed could theoretically lead to reduced wrinkles and a more youthful appearance. Fujita’s study suggests that exercise influences skin health through factors such as gene expression and inflammation, alongside external elements like UV radiation and dryness.
He encourages the combination of resistance and aerobic exercise for additive skin improvement. However, experts highlight that the study, while reasonable, has limitations. It was relatively small and short-term, focusing solely on middle-aged Japanese women. Furthermore, larger and more diverse studies are essential to solidify these findings.
In the meantime, Fujita hopes that his research will inspire more people to adopt regular exercise routines while emphasizing the importance of sun protection during outdoor activities. As an advocate for his own research, he shares that his own exercise habits have been met with positive comments about his skin’s smoothness, emphasizing the potential benefits of a well-rounded exercise regimen.
