Wayne State University football players huddle on a hot day. Credit: Tamara Hew-Butler I’ve studied hydration for almost 20 years, mostly from the lens of overhydration. So, every time a coach or trainer instructs athletes to “stay hydrated” or “drink more water,” my heart sinks. Drinking too much water can cause brain swelling, which … Continue reading Exercise and Water: Responsible Drinking in the Summer Heat
Exercise
Physical Inactivity: We Got To Move It, Move It
Credit: iStock Did you know that some data suggest physical inactivity increases your risk of dying from any cause more than smoking? Although this argument is still debated, in theory, you could go for a run and have a cigarette and be less likely to die than someone who does neither (you still shouldn’t smoke). … Continue reading Physical Inactivity: We Got To Move It, Move It
Physiology Helps You Protect Your Health
American Physiology Summit attendees listen to research findings presented at the meeting. Scientists who study physiology gathered in Long Beach, California, last week for the inaugural American Physiology Summit—a brand-new conference dedicated to sharing discoveries on the cutting edge of bioscience. Studies highlighted at the Summit span from the effect of cannabis extracts on blood … Continue reading Physiology Helps You Protect Your Health
Thinking about Spring
Credit: iStock According to the calendar, it’s spring—and depending on where you live, the trees may already be blooming as the temperatures begin to climb. If you live in a colder climate, don’t worry, your time will come for warmer days and balmy evenings. “What does spring have to do with physiology?” you may ask. … Continue reading Thinking about Spring
Depression and Sports: A Double-edged Sword
The 2022 Wayne State University football team in a huddle. Credit: Tamara Hew-Butler The mythology and physiology that characterize winners from losers remains elusive. While physiological profiling—studying biomarkers and body composition and using wearable technology—of “superhuman” athletes continues, our unsatiable quest for greatness often minimizes how our mental health can affect our physical health, athletic … Continue reading Depression and Sports: A Double-edged Sword
2022’s Most-read I Spy Physiology Posts
Credit: iStock This year, as COVID-19 vaccines and boosters protected most of us from severe disease, scientists and educators returned to labs, classrooms and in-person meetings with a lot of new physiology research to share. In 2022, our member-contributors wrote about the physiology of space travel, new techniques to improve organ transplantation and why exercise … Continue reading 2022’s Most-read I Spy Physiology Posts
Can Exercise Combat Your Sweet Tooth?
Credit: iStock Having a sweet tooth is nothing to be ashamed of. But 39% of people in the U.S. are obese, and 10% have diabetes. That means public health efforts to reduce sugar consumption could benefit millions of people. Eating too much processed sugar isn’t just bad for our teeth. Sugar can cause insulin resistance, … Continue reading Can Exercise Combat Your Sweet Tooth?
Why It’s Still Important to Stay Active to Reduce COVID-19 Severity
Credit: iStock As we head into our third year living in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, we’ve learned that the virus, in all its variants, is likely here to stay. In previous blog posts about the health benefits of physical activity during the pandemic, we have explained that adults should participate in at least 150 minutes … Continue reading Why It’s Still Important to Stay Active to Reduce COVID-19 Severity
Healing the Physical and Metaphorical Heart
Credit: iStock Scientists who study physiology and in other biomedical research fields—including anatomy, biochemistry, pathology and pharmacology—network, collaborate and communicate about the latest research at the American Physiological Society (APS) annual meeting at Experimental Biology (EB). This week’s post explores how exercise can improve health in people who have experienced traumatic childhood experiences. We know from published research … Continue reading Healing the Physical and Metaphorical Heart
Understanding Why Exercise Is Medicine
Credit: iStock Around the year 600 B.C., a physician from India by the name of Sushruta stressed the importance of physical activity on one’s health. Fast forward 2,600 years: Scientists have learned that lifelong exercise can make your body feel as much as 30 years younger. But even so, there’s a growing trend of our … Continue reading Understanding Why Exercise Is Medicine