A study published this week in Nature led by the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center reports that, in mice, exercise induces autophagy in heart and skeletal muscle cells, which improves their ability to remain “young” and adjust to changes in energy and nutrition. The autophagy was associated with increased diet-related insulin resistance and lower rates of diabetes. These findings provide at least one mechanistic explanation for why exercise is associated with lowering diabetes risk.
A description of the study and interview with the researchers is available through Scientific American.