Recent research highlights the importance of strength training in enhancing our body’s cellular cleanup processes. This crucial “spring cleaning” is key for maintaining organ and tissue health and plays a significant role in healthy aging.
Muscle cells endure constant wear and tear, particularly during workouts. To manage this, our bodies have a recycling system to remove damaged cellular parts. This process, known as autophagy, involves collecting worn-out components in a structure called an autophagosome. Inside this structure, the components are broken down into basic building blocks for reuse.
A key player in this cleanup is a protein called BAG3. It helps identify damaged parts and ensures they are processed in an autophagosome. Strength training seems to activate BAG3.
Jörg Höhfeld, a professor at the University of Bonn Institute of Cell Biology, explained to Newsweek, “The World Health Organization recommends strength training for people aged 65 and older to promote healthy aging. Our research helps explain why: BAG3 is activated during resistance exercise, helping to efficiently clear cellular waste through autophagy.”
In a study published in Current Biology, Höhfeld and his team showed that mechanical stress from strength training triggers a signal that activates BAG3 in human muscle cells. Notably, BAG3 activation occurs after just a few high-intensity repetitions, provided you’re lifting near your maximum capacity.
Höhfeld noted, “We see BAG3 activation after 20 to 30 high-intensity muscle contractions in a single session. It’s crucial to perform maximum intensity contractions to induce muscle micro-damage.”
BAG3 activation is most effective when targeting larger muscle groups. Höhfeld recommended focusing on big muscle groups such as the legs, chest, and back with exercises like weightlifting, squats, and pull-ups. Using weights can further enhance muscle overloading.
While autophagy is often discussed in the context of anti-aging, Höhfeld clarified that the BAG3-mediated process differs from what is commonly emphasized in wellness trends. “Autophagy is typically associated with starvation or intermittent fasting, which helps degrade excess cellular material during nutrient scarcity. In contrast, BAG3-mediated autophagy specifically targets damaged or aggregated proteins,” he said.
Höhfeld added, “As we age, cells produce more BAG3 to manage the accumulation of damaged proteins, which supports healthy aging.”
Understanding the biochemical mechanisms behind BAG3 activation could lead to new treatments for muscle weakness, heart failure, and other conditions related to damaged particles in muscle tissue.
