Strength Training Helps Mice Break Down Fat Faster
First, they were well-fed, of course, also for science.
Strength training can trigger fat breakdown processes within just seven days, even if body weight remains unchanged, researchers found in a series of experiments on mice.
Initially, scientists overfed the mice to induce obesity, then made them exercise. It turned out that positive changes in fat tissue begin faster than actual weight loss.
For training, scientists used a 70-centimeter high ladder, and the mice climbed it with weights attached to their tails. Each session included 20 climbs with breaks of 60-90 seconds.
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The weight was 70% of the maximum load each animal could handle. In total, the rodents completed seven training sessions, which replicated the intense muscle contractions typical of human strength exercises.
After the experiment, trained mice showed less fat around their intestines, and their fat cell sizes decreased. Tissue analysis also revealed changes in the activity of proteins ABHD5 and ATGL, which are involved in fat breakdown.
In physically active animals, ABHD5 levels were normal, and its interaction with the enzyme ATGL increased. In sedentary obese mice, ABHD5 levels remained low. At the same time, researchers noted a decrease in the activity of the Scd1 gene, which is involved in fatty acid formation.
In short, strength training enhanced molecular mechanisms for fat breakdown and weakened fat accumulation processes. Mice confirmed the benefits of combining strength and aerobic exercises for weight loss: both types of training affect metabolism but trigger different additional processes.
