The massage reduces cellular inflammation and facilitates development new mitochondrian in skeletal muscles
New York. the value of massage
Athletes - and not only - can confirm that manual massage, or commonly known as massage, relieves physical pain and generally rejuvenates the body. Now a new research documents the effectiveness that is not only due to the experienced professional, but to the DNA of each person.
Researchers at the Buck Institute for Aging Research in the US and McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, led by Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky, a neurometabolism expert, who published the study in the scientific journal Science Translational Medicine, according to Science, discovered that massage, at the cellular level, reduces inflammation and facilitates the growth of new mitochondria in skeletal muscle.
the value of massage
The scientists performed genetic analysis of muscle biopsies taken from the quadriceps of 11 young men after cycling on a stationary bike. Then one of their two legs was randomly selected to be massaged, followed by new biopsies of muscle tissue samples.
The comparative analyses, before and after the massage, showed that hand massages combat the appearance of cytokines (the substances that cause inflammation in muscle cells), while at the same time promoting the biogenesis of mitochondria (the energy production units inside the cells).
Scientists believe that massage activates genes that heal muscles and deactivates genes associated with chronic inflammation. Specifically, the massaged leg had an average of 30% more PGC-1α, a gene that helps muscle cells make mitochondria, than the non-massaged leg. There was also three times less NFkB, which activates genes associated with inflammation, in the foot that had been previously massaged.
New research
The new research also debunks the widely held belief that massage is beneficial because it flushes out accumulated lactic acid and other waste from tired muscles, as it found no such thing.
Researchers believe that the pain relief that massage brings is based on a similar biological mechanism to that brought about by anti-inflammatory drugs.
"There is general agreement that massage makes you feel good, now we have a scientific basis for this experience," said researcher Simon Melov.
As Dr. Tarnopolski said, the new research lends scientific substantiation to a practice that is becoming increasingly popular. "The potential benefits of massage may benefit a wide range of people, including the elderly, those with musculoskeletal injuries and those with chronic inflammatory conditions," he said.
Massage, beyond its application by physiotherapists, is one of the most popular alternative and therapeutic practices, internationally.
health.in.gr, APE
