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Protein in muscles plays key role in recovery after exercise, study finds

  • The protein, known as BDNF, signals to the body to replenish energy reserves after a workout, international research team says
  • It could potentially be used to help athletes shorten recovery time between training sessions, or for elderly to maintain muscle function

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After an exercise session the body generates more of the protein BDNF to tell skeletal muscles it’s time to replenish, according to the study. Photo: Reuters

A new study on mice has found that a protein in muscles plays a key role in recovery after exercise, and the researchers say it could potentially be used to improve sports performance.

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The international team found that the protein – called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF – signals to the body to replenish energy reserves following a workout.

This answers a long-standing question about the mechanisms behind how the body responds to and recovers from exercise.

BDNF was initially identified in the brain, where it is vital for functions such as forming memories, moods, and the growth of neurons.

Scientists later realised it could also be found in tissues other than the central nervous system – the brain and spinal cord – but its roles elsewhere were not clear.

The mice underwent treadmill sessions over a four-week period for the study. Photo: Handout
The mice underwent treadmill sessions over a four-week period for the study. Photo: Handout

Chan Chi-bun, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Biological Sciences, led the study looking at the protein’s functions in skeletal muscles – the muscles that control movement.

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