What is autophagy?
Autophagy, composed of auto (self) and phagy (ingestion), is a physiological state in which the body breaks down and recycles aging cellular parts and damaged proteins.
It is closely related to anti-aging, cell repair and improvement of chronic diseases, and autophagy capacity declines with age and disease, so it is important to understand how to activate it.
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The main triggering conditions for autophagy
The core mechanism for initiating autophagy is:
- Glucose drop
- Increase in ketone bodies
When blood sugar decreases and energy sources shift to fat and ketone bodies, autophagy increases significantly. This makes fasting one of the most powerful ways to initiate autophagy.
Exercise can also trigger autophagy, but the effect varies depending on the intensity and timing of meals.
Exercise promotes autophagy in the following ways:
- Consume glucose
- Lower insulin
- Improve insulin sensitivity
High insulin levels can inhibit autophagy, so exercise can indeed activate autophagy, but the effect depends on the intensity and duration of training, as well as whether you eat immediately after exercise.
The higher the intensity, the more pronounced the autophagy initiation.
- High-intensity, resistance training or high-volume training can lead to a more significant autophagy response.
- Low-intensity endurance training, when performed on an empty stomach, can also enhance autophagy and amplify the effects of fasting.
- If you eat immediately after exercise, the autophagy effect will be shortened or even stop quickly.
Research examples:
In animal treadmill experiments:
- 30 minutes of exercise can increase autophagy by about 40% to 50%.
- After 80 minutes of exercise , autophagy increases by about 100%.
The longer the exercise time and the greater the intensity, the stronger the autophagy effect.
Fasting vs. Exercise: Which is More Effective?
Regarding the effects of autophagy:
- Fasting, especially prolonged fasting, is the most powerful way to trigger autophagy.
- High-intensity exercise also has significant effects, but the duration is relatively short.
- Low-intensity exercise alone has limited effect, but if performed on an empty stomach, it will significantly amplify the autophagy response.
The ideal combination is to combine the two: exercising on an empty stomach can have a synergistic effect.
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Conclusion: How to effectively enhance autophagy
To enhance autophagy, consider:
- Appropriately extend the fasting period
- Incorporate exercise on an empty stomach
- Increase stimulation through high-intensity or prolonged training.
- Avoid eating immediately after exercise to prolong the effect.
These methods can more effectively initiate autophagy, promoting cell renewal and maintaining health.
YouTube source: https://youtu.be/oOXDUPvRnl0
YouTube Column: Dr. Berg's Chinese Health Knowledge
