While you sweat in the gym, do squats in the living room or take the dog to a quick step, you may not know, but inside you a small natural miracle is activated. Your muscles, while they work, release a special moleculecapable of communicating with bones, brain and fabrics. His name is CLCF1a protein that – according to a recent study published on Nature – could be help us get olderprotecting body and mind from the effects of time.
The scientists who studied it, in South Korea, are convinced of it: Physical activity is the key to activating this proteinand it is not just a short -term effect. The CLCF1 really seems to act like a natural elixir, above all for those who ageslowing down the deterioration of bones and muscles.
A protein that “speaks” to our body
The CLCF1 is part of the myochinemolecules that muscles release during physical effort. They are real chemical messengers: send signals to the body, ordering the cells of Burn more energyat bones to become strongerand even influence the brainimproving mood and memory.
What makes the CLCF1 so interesting is that It acts both on the muscles and on the bonesboth fragile targets of aging. With age, these two tissues weaken, increasing the risk of falls, fractures and loss of mobility. But if this molecule is present in sufficient quantities, it succeeds to strengthen themalmost as if it slowed down time.
What science says
Scientists analyzed the muscle tissue of people of different ages, before and after physical activity. They discovered that i young adults They naturally produce a good amount of CLCF1 when they train. But in Over 60this production is reduced. And this explains why exercise often, despite being beneficial, it seems less effective with the advance of age.
To understand whether to artificially increase the CLCF1 levels could really make a difference, the researchers made experiments on Elderly mice (the equivalent of an 80 -year -old human being). After two weeks of treatment, animals They ran faster, they had stronger muscles and thicker bones. But when the protein was blocked, the training lost effectiveness: the mice continued to move, but without visible improvements.
The good news? Also in human beings Physical activity can reactivate this molecule. In particular, theHigh intensity training and that with weights They proved to be very effective. On the contrary, the lighter activities, such as walking or pedaling at moderate pace, to stimulate the production of CLCF1.
No shortcuts, but a strategy
At the moment there are no pills or treatments that directly exploit the CLCF1. And the researchers themselves admit that they will serve Many years of studies before this molecule can be used in anti-aging therapies.
But A concrete road already existsand that’s the one we have always had available: move, train and continue to do so even by the elderly. Strength exercises – such as lifting weights or working with resistance – and high intensity ones (such as running intervals or circuit sessions) are the most effective.
This means that, to keep muscles and bones healthy,. It serves commitment, constancy and above all the habit to challenge your body safely, but energetically. This is precisely what stimulates our muscles to release the CLCF1, the protein that helps us to live better and longer.
