It is well know that people who don their gym clothes and exercise regularly enjoy a number of health benefits, but scientists have discovered more about the positive effect that it has on the heart.

Researchers from Harvard Medical School found, through studies on mice models, that exercise turns on a genetic programme that causes the heart's muscle cells to divide and the organ to grow.

Bruce Spiegelman of Harvard Medical School explained that this good kind of heart growth is called cardiac hypertrophy.

Anthony Rosenzweig, also of Harvard Medical School, said that the results provide more evidence that exercise is good for health and should be practiced regularly.

"In the longer term, by understanding the pathways that benefit the heart with exercise, we may be able to exploit those for patients who aren't able to exercise," he said.

The study has been published in the December 23rd issue of the medical journal Cell.

Last month, the European Society of Cardiology claimed that people who exercise more and make other healthy lifestyle choices are less likely to suffer from heart disease.

Posted by Martin Sebborn ADNFCR-2569-ID-800311536-ADNFCR

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