It is tempting to understand muscle’s role in the body as a simple mechanical motor. But the truth is much more complex: our muscles function as an endocrine organ that can influence virtually every system in our bodies.
When a muscle contracts, hundreds of molecules known as myokines – substances essential for the body to function properly – are released. Their discovery transformed modern physiology, giving rise to the idea that “exercise is medicine”.
But this concept falls short. In reality we can go much further, and say that exercise is as necessary for our health as breathing or eating, while a sedentary lifestyle and lack of movement can be classified as a source of illness.
