Your cells keep a record of every workout you’ve ever done – and those gains persist even after a break from exercise
New research suggests that muscle and liver cells retain a 'memory' of past exercise, which helps the body regain fitness more quickly after periods of inactivity. This challenges the traditional 'use it or lose it' theory of physical training.
Why it matters
This discovery provides a scientific basis for why returning to fitness is easier for those with a history of training, potentially shifting how physical activity guidelines are structured for the general public.
Have you ever taken months off training – maybe due to an injury, a new baby or crushing work deadlines – and come back convinced you were starting from zero?
Research from our team has some good news: At the cellular level, you probably weren’t.
We found that muscle and liver cells store memories from every training session in ways that may help improve endurance, control blood sugar levels and even slow weight regain after inactivity.
For most of the past century, long before fad diets and fancy workout trends took off, exercise was considered one of the most effective lifestyle changes to lower the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, several cancers and early death for people of all ages. But people typically understood exercise as something whose beneficial effects fade away over time: You use it or lose it.
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