Have you ever wondered if when you eat could affect how well you exercise? A new study from China suggests it might, at least for mice.
Scientists discovered that feeding mice during their usual sleep time increased their ability to run.
The Study: Can Meal Timing Enhance Exercise?
A group of researchers from the Army Medical University in China decided to study how feeding time could affect mice’s running abilities.
They were particularly interested in looking at the circadian clock, which is our body’s natural rhythm for sleep and wakefulness.
The study, named “Daytime-restricted feeding enhances running endurance without prior exercise in mice,” was published in the scientific journal Nature Metabolism.
What the Scientists Did
In the experiment, the researchers made some mice eat only during their usual sleep time. They then compared these mice with others who were allowed to eat whenever they were hungry, or at specific times during the day.
They observed that the mice who ate during their sleep time were able to run for longer periods and cover more distance. This was the case for both male and female mice and even for those who were trained to exercise.
The Circadian Clock and Exercise Endurance
But what does our body’s sleep and wakefulness rhythm have to do with exercise? It turns out that the circadian clock also plays a role in how our bodies process food and use energy.
The scientists found that the improved exercise endurance in the sleep-time fed mice was connected to changes in their muscle composition, energy metabolism, and genes related to the mitochondria, which are the “powerhouses” of cells.
Two particular genes, Per2 and Bmal1, seemed to be key in boosting the mice’s running abilities.
What This Means for Us
Of course, it’s important to remember that this study was done on mice, not humans. Mice are naturally active during the night and sleep during the day, which is the opposite of our human patterns.
So we can’t be sure yet if eating during our sleep time would also improve our exercise abilities.
Still, the study provides valuable insights into how our eating and sleeping habits could potentially affect our physical performance.
It highlights the importance of our circadian rhythm in determining our stamina and energy levels.
More research is needed to see if these findings also apply to humans, but the results are definitely exciting for anyone interested in health and fitness.
If you care about wellness, please read studies about walking exercises that could keep older people fit and healthy, and no pain, and no gain in exercise for this common artery disease.
For more information about wellness, please see recent studies about the key to improving people’s longevity, and results showing how to use exercise to prevent and treat high blood pressure.
The study was published in Nature Metabolism.
Copyright © 2023 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
