Michelle Dickinson: nanotechnologist on the molecule that could be used to create an 'exercise pill' - The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

We’ve all heard that regular exercise is good for you. But a major new study published in Cell might have just found a way to bottle its benefits and deliver them to people who can’t hit the gym.

Over six years, the researchers tracked 13 healthy volunteers as they exercised, from a single 5km run to a 25-day running plan and they collected as much data as they could across the body including genes, proteins, metabolism, gut bacteria, and immune cells. 

They found that at first, exercise stresses the body out with inflammation and metabolic overload. But over time, the body adapts and rebuilds, emerging stronger and more balanced. 

Surprisingly they found that your kidneys play a leading role in how your body responds to exercise.  

Betaine is a natural molecule made by the kidneys, as a powerful 'exercise mimetic' something that can copy many of the health benefits of physical activity, especially when it comes to slowing down aging.  

The researchers gave betaine supplements to aging mice and found that : 

• Their immune cells looked and acted younger.
• Inflammation dropped significantly.
• Physical coordination and memory improved.
• Even signs of depression faded.

All without the mice needing to exercise. 

Betaine works by blocking a key inflammation switch in the body (called TBK1). This shuts down the chronic 'inflammaging' the slow, inflammation that drives many age-related diseases. 

This discovery doesn’t mean you should stop moving, exercise still offers a whole package of benefits that pills can’t fully replicate. But for people who are older, injured, or living with disabilities, this research could lead to real, science-backed alternatives. 

Betaine is already known to be safe, and the researchers believe it has strong potential as a geroprotective supplement  one that could help people stay healthier, longer. 

Future clinical trials will tell us if these effects hold true in humans at scale. 

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