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Why is exercise good for you? Scientists are finding answers in our cells

Decades of evidence shows that exercise leads to healthier, longer lives. Researchers are just starting to work out what it does to cells to reap this reward.
  1. Gemma Conroy
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Thousands of swimmers race 6.5 kilometres from Kanlıca to Kuruçeşme in Istanbul in 2023.

Researchers are looking into the molecular basis of how exercise benefits health, to help treat diseases. Credit: Ozan Guzelce/dia images via Getty

When Bente Klarlund Pedersen wakes up in the morning, the first thing she does is pull on her trainers and go for a 5-kilometre run — and it’s not just about staying fit. “It’s when I think and solve problems without knowing it,” says Klarlund Pedersen, who specializes in internal medicine and infectious diseases at the University of Copenhagen. “It’s very important for my well-being.”

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Nature 629, 26-28 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01200-7

Updates & Corrections

  • Correction 07 May 2024: An earlier version of this News feature gave an old affiliation for Bret Goodpaster. He is now at AdventHealth Research Institute in Orlando, Florida.

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