Cells coordinate to promote exercise
September 20th, 2011 - 5:06 pm ICT by IANSWashington, Sep 20 (IANS) Thanks to chatting among divergent cell types, exercise strengthens bones, reduces belly fat and staves off diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity, says a new research.
The study was conducted over a period of 12 weeks when obese school children were made to exercise vigorously, according to the Georgia Health Sciences University Prevention Institute statement.
Blood levels of the hormone osteocalcin, made by osteoblasts, bone-producing cells, show how belly fat, bones and pancreas (which produces insulin) are linked, said Norman Pollock, bone biologist who led the study.
“When osteocalcin is released in your blood, that hormone is talking back to the adipocytes, the cells that store fat, and the pancreatic cells that release insulin to improve energy metabolism,” he said.
There have been bits of evidence of this communication in humans: people with diabetes get a lot of bone fractures; those with more visceral fat are at risk for diabetes; and bone cells have insulin receptors.
“The idea is that bones can possibly sense environmental stimuli such as being physically active or sedentary and dictate energy regulation accordingly,” Pollock said.
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Tags: adipocytes, biologist, blood levels, bone cells, bone fractures, bones, diabetes, energy metabolism, energy regulation, environmental stimuli, exercise, georgia health, health sciences university, insulin receptors, insulin sensitivity, pancreas, pancreatic cells, pollock, prevention institute, visceral fat