Health and Longevity
Microtears, Nourished by Inflammation and Stem Cells, Can Build and Maintain Lean Muscles
A bit of inflammation and minor soreness from resistance training can trigger valuable physiological responses within our muscles for better health and lifespan
We need to embrace temporary inflammation and little pain for muscle gain.
Resistance training can trigger healthy physiological responses at the molecular level within our muscles, improving our healthspan and lifespan if done correctly and consistently.
Stimulating our muscles is extra critical as we age because muscle is a longevity organ triggering fat burning. Sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and visceral fat are the three enemies of longevity.
By leveraging the mechanisms behind this process, we can benefit from microtears supported by inflammation response and stem cell activation, contributing to muscle growth and maintenance for better health and fitness.
Advancements in molecular biology and biotechnology have revealed the great potential of exercise in positively influencing our cells, tissues, organs, and systems for regeneration.
Endurance and resistance training can trigger valuable physiological responses. Therefore, exercise is used as a strategy for lowering the risk of cancers, metabolic, neurodegenerative, and cardiovascular disorders.
Notably, the ability of exercise to promote tissue regeneration has captured the attention of scientists and clinicians in recent years.
Since our organs have limited regenerative capabilities, enhancing tissue regeneration efficiency has become a crucial goal in regenerative medicine to improve healthspan and lifespan.
Exercise-induced tissue regeneration offers a promising approach to fighting injuries and aging, laying the groundwork for developing exercise mimetics.
For example, pharmaceutical alternatives might provide the benefits of exercise to those unable to engage in physical activity to improve their health and longevity.
In this article, I explain three biological mechanisms contributing to exercise-induced tissue regeneration within resistance training context and scope, leveraging valuable information from credible sources. I also share my experience and observations by linking relevant articles for details.
1 — Microtears in Muscle Fibers for Growth
When we engage in intense workouts, the microscopic impact on our muscle fibers can cause muscle growth.
Resistance training like calisthenics and weight lifting can significantly stress our muscle tissues, causing microscopic damage that we can’t see but feel. They are tiny tears within the muscle fibers.
This might initially seem counterproductive as some people get rid of the pain with medication. But, it is a vital step in building leaner and stronger muscles.
Some people prefer larger muscles for aesthetic purposes, creating more microtears with heavier weights than ordinary people. But my preference is not on muscle mass but on maintaining lean muscles for health reasons.
Hypertrophy (muscle growth) can occur during the recovery phase following exercise-induced damage. Once the muscle fibers experience this microscopic damage, the body initiates a repair response.
Specialized cells are activated and rush to the damaged area, fusing with the existing muscle fibers. I cover them in section #3. As documented in this review paper in 2019:
“Effective hypertrophy-oriented resistance training should combine mechanical tension and metabolic stress. Regarding training variables, the most effective values are widely described in the literature. However, there is still a lack of consensus regarding the efficiency of these techniques and methods compared to traditional approaches.”
Scientific evidence supports the notion that resistance workouts, associated with microtears and subsequent repair, are a potent stimulus for muscle growth and maintenance.
As pointed out in the literature, the maximization of muscle growth and maintenance has far-reaching implications for populations associated with sports, health, and longevity.
However, apart from exercise, I want to emphasize that proper rest and nutrition are essential components of this process.
Adequate rest and restorative sleep allow for sufficient recovery and adaptation after each exercise session.
Balanced nutrition (amino acids, healthy fats, essential minerals, and vitamins) with adequate calories can provide the necessary building blocks for muscle repair and growth after exercise.
Adequate exercise, sleep, and nutrition together can balance hormones and neurotransmitters, giving us better body composition, healthier life, and a clear mind.
2 — Inflammatory Responses for Muscle Recovery
Contrary to common perception, not all stress and inflammation harm our cells. In fact, some degree of stress and inflammation can positively affect the growth and maintaining balance in our physiology.
When we engage in resistance training, the resulting microtears in our muscle fibers trigger an inflammatory response.
Inflammation is a protective mechanism that our bodies activate to repair damaged tissues. The inflammatory response is an essential catalyst for initiating the healing process in torn muscle fibers.
After intense workout sessions, we experience muscle tenderness and soreness. These sensations are normal and indicators of the inflammatory responses in our cells. This is a healthy inflammation.
The discomfort we feel results from the body mobilizing resources to repair the microtears in the muscle fibers, starting the recovery and adaptation process.
Scientific evidence supports that (unlike chronic inflammation) controlled and temporary inflammation, which occurs during exercise-induced microtears, is beneficial for muscle repair, growth, and maintenance.
The inflammatory response can trigger events that involve immune cells, growth factors, and cytokines working together to facilitate the healing and remodeling of the damaged muscle tissue.
During muscle recovery and adaptation from inflammatory responses, remarkable changes occur within the muscle cells, increasing strength and vitality. One notable transformation is the proliferation of mitochondria.
The increase in mitochondrial abundance within the muscle cells not only boosts energy production but also improves cellular function. I provided 12 tips to increase mitochondria. One of them is regular exercise.
Mitochondria play a vital role in various metabolic processes, like oxygen utilization and removing harmful byproducts produced during intense exercise.
With a more significant number of mitochondria, the muscle cells become more efficient and better equipped to handle future demands.
Scientific studies have revealed that intense workouts can stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis. This process involves the creation of new mitochondria and their integration into the existing cellular network.
As a result of more mitochondria, the muscle cells become stronger, fresher, and more capable of meeting the demands of physical activity. We feel abundant energy and feel younger as we get older. Therefore mitochondrial health is vital.
Interestingly over the years, I saw some people in the gym take an anti-inflammatory medication just after the workout sessions to prevent soreness for the next day. This is not a good idea unless one has underlying health conditions like autoimmune and inflammatory disorders monitored by specialists.
By inhibiting inflammation too soon after exercise, we interfere with the body’s ability to repair and rebuild muscle tissue effectively.
Some studies suggest that taking NSAIDs (inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen) following resistance exercise may impair muscle protein synthesis, which is essential for muscle recovery and growth.
3 — Stem Cell Activation for Cell Regeneration
In a previous article highlighting notable ideas from Nobel Laureates, I emphasized the significance of stem cell research for regenerative medicine.
Contrary to popular belief, injecting stem cells is not necessary for muscle growth since the body has its natural processes in place.
A comprehensive paper published in Nature in 2022 provided valuable insights into multiple studies examining the impact of stem cells during resistance training.
Researchers elucidated the benefits of exercise on tissue regeneration, with a particular focus on the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, and nervous system.
Exercise has a prominent influence on the distribution of stem cells throughout the body. In essence, intense exercise or resistance training can enhance the regenerative potential of stem cells.
This process can contribute to their survival and differentiation. Thus exercise might be an effective complement to stem cell-based therapies, enhancing their efficacy.
During the repair process mentioned in section #2, various types of stem cells, including satellite cells, become activated. These specialized stem cells (abundant in muscles) are pivotal in muscle regeneration.
They migrate to the damaged area and connect with existing muscle fibers, leading to an increase in muscle cells and mitochondria, contributing to muscle growth and maintenance.
Moreover, resistance training might support the application of biomaterials in conjunction with stem cells for cartilage regeneration, especially for patients with osteoarthritis, as documented in this paper.
By creating a favorable environment and stimulating the proliferation and differentiation of stem cells, resistance workouts might contribute to tissue regeneration across various systems in the body.
Conclusions
To optimize muscle growth and maintenance, it is vital to understand the principle of progressive overload causing microtears in muscle fibers in a controlled manner with adequate rest and without overdoing it.
Progressive and cyclical loading means gradually increasing weights and varying workout routines. By continually challenging the muscles, this approach ensures ongoing stimulation and adaptation.
Over time, the muscles can adapt to workload, potentially leading to a plateau in growth. To overcome this, it is necessary to increase weights or resistance progressively, introduce variations in contraction types (concentric and eccentric movements), and adjust the lifting tempo.
This valuable strategy can constantly push the muscles, inducing microtears, creating an inflammatory response, and activating stem cells for continuous growth and sustainable maintenance.
The critical point to remember is that the microtears within the muscle fibers can trigger an inflammatory response, activating stem cells.
Stem cells promote increased muscle mass and strength as they contribute to the repair and regeneration of damaged tissue. Over time, this cumulative effect might lead to noticeable gains in muscle strength.
Studies and anecdotes show that resistance training like calisthenics and weight lifting can initiate a noticeable cycle of muscle growth and repair by creating microtears, inflammation, and stems cells.
By leveraging the principles of progressive and cyclical overload and variation in workout routines, we can maximize our muscle growth and maintenance potential for a healthier and happier life.
The beauty of resistance training is that it can make the body more insulin-sensitive, allowing fat mobilization and burning. Thus it can lower visceral fat, giving us a better physique and lower risks of metabolic disorders.
Interestingly resistance training also can initiate autophagy and mitophagy when combined with time-restricted eating, cleaning garbage from cells and mitochondria, making us healthier and livelier.
From a hormonal perspective, like fasting, resistance training can also lower insulin and increase glucagon, adiponectin, and growth hormone, putting the body in a metabolic advantages position. It can slightly increase cortisol, but resting and meditating after exercise can lower it quickly.
Furthermore, resistance training can increase BDNF in the brain, increasing our neurological and mental health and contributing to longevity. So, as far as I know, nothing can beat exercise for longevity.
Practical Takeaways
The first takeaway is the caution to prevent undesirable injuries. Please understand the importance of this point, as it genuinely matters.
✍We need to be careful with tendon injuries during resistance training. They cause damage or trauma to tendons (tough and fibrous tissues that connect muscles to bones).
Tendons play a vital role in transmitting forces from muscles to bones, enabling movement and stability in the body. When tendons are injured, it can lead to pain, limited range of motion, and functional limitations.
As documented in this paper, several epidemiologic workplace studies suggest that the repetition rate may be an essential risk factor for tendon injuries.
After reviewing the findings from these studies, I understand that when specific tasks or movements are repeatedly performed at work, the recovery gets delayed; hence they can increase the risk of developing tendon injuries.
The repetitive nature of the tasks places continuous stress and strain on the tendons when not adequate recovery is in place. Thus, this situation might cause chronic inflammation, degeneration, and irrecoverable tears in the affected tendons over time.
The next takeaway is customization.
✍As I highlighted in previous articles, customizing our exercises for our needs and based on our capabilities is critical.
✍ We need some resistance exercises at every age. I documented 8 Health Benefits of Resistance Training for Older Adults and How to Do It Correctly.
✍ Women can also leverage resistance workouts, as I documented in this story titled Here’s Why Women Need Resistance Training and How Can They Achieve It.
Learning the value of exercise in our health and well-being is vital.
✍ The key benefits of customized workouts are repairing DNA, strengthening mitochondria, detoxifying cells, increasing blood flow, improving oxygenation, optimizing hormones, reducing chronic inflammation, enhancing immune function, maintaining lean muscles and dense bones, lowering visceral fat, and boosting BDNF.
✍ Exercise can accelerate aging if done incorrectly. Excessive exercise can produce harmful molecules through oxidative stress and inflammation, damaging the DNA, proteins, and other molecules.
✍ Proper exercise can maintain a healthy weight, reduce inflammation, improve our ability to cope with stress, and increase the production of neurotrophic factors, promoting neurons’ growth and survival, thereby protecting against cognitive decline and impairment.
✍ I documented my experience and reviews on lifespan shortening and enhancing aspects in a story titled Why Exercise Can Lengthen or Shorten Lifespan and How to Find the Sweet Spot.
✍✍✍The key takeaway of this article is that we need to understand the three mechanisms and their implications I covered in his article to approach resistance training with intention, knowledge, intuition, and instincts to enhance our fitness and enable us to achieve the desired results safely and joyfully.
I always exercise on an empty stomach to utilize stored fat as energy, take a cold shower and dry sauna after exercise and slow down and meditate for half an hour to lower cortisol and speed up recovery. I never exercise until I fully recover.
Like muscles, the brain also needs stimulation and rest for longevity.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters.
ALS, Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Colorectal Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and urinary track disorders.
I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:
Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, Cod Liver Oil, and other nutrients.
Disclaimer: My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experience, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
I publish my lifestyle, health, and well-being stories on EUPHORIA. My focus is on cellular, mitochondrial, metabolic, and mental health. Here is my collection of Insightful Life Lessons from Personal Stories.
You are welcome to join my publications on Medium as a writer by sending a request via this link. 21K writers contribute to my publications. You may join Medium with my referral link to enjoy unlimited content.
