Hello People:

We all know that exercise benefits the mind as well as the body. However, I don’t think many are aware of the why and how. So today’s installment of Body Designs is going to take you through some of the body’s hormones that are effected by exercise and how they react and benefit you in return.

It may be a bit scientific, but if you boil it down to the basics, it will explain why (biologically) is better to train hard and train often.

Growth Hormone:
This hormone is responsible for the development of muscle tone and improves the strength of your bones, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. While exercising, this hormone is responsible for turning your body’s energy usage from carbohydrates to fat. The best way to release more growth hormone is to increase your intensity and duration during cardio sessions.

Endorphins:
These hormones block pain, decrease appetite, create a feeling of euphoria (the exercise high), and reduce tension and anxiety. With just 45 minutes of aerobic exercise at a moderate to an intense level, blood levels of endorphins increase up to five times the levels at rest.

What’s more interesting is that after consistently following an exercise program the body develops an increased sensitivity to endorphins and actually creates a higher high from the same level of endorphins and they tend to stay in your system for longer stints, making it easier to train for a longer duration.

Testosterone:
Believe it or not, this hormone is important to both males and females. It maintains muscle tone and strength. It increases the body’s metabolism, decreases body fat and produces feelings of confidence. Testosterone levels increase with exercise after about 20 minutes into a session and can remain elevated for up to three hours after.

Estrogen:
Obviously mostly found in females. The most active form of this hormone, 17 beta estradiol, aids in the breakdown of fat so it can be used as fuel. It also increases the body’s metabolism, elevates your mood, and increases libido.

Thyroxine:
When there is an increase in this hormone, your metabolism is again increase which helps you to feel more energetic and also causes you to expend more calories.

Epinepherine:
Stimulates the breakdown of stored carbohydrates and fat and allows them to be used as fuel.

Insulin:
This is a hormone that you do not want a lot of in your blood at any one time. The higher the blood insulin level, the fat the body stores. Insulin levels spike (rise) after meals. And the bigger the meal, the more insulin is released. Therefore, it is essential to exercise if you don’t want your body to keep storing fat. Insulin levels begin to decrease after about 10 minutes of aerobic exercise and continue to fall through about 70 minutes of exercise. Regular exercise also increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin at rest, so that less (exercise) is needed.

Glucagon:
This hormone typically begins to be secreted after 30 minutes of exercise when the body’s blood glucose levels (blood sugar) begins to decrease. It is another hormone that causes the breakdown of fat so that it can be used as fuel. Again, resulting in fat loss.

Sorry if this was too boring, but I think it’s important to know.