Sitting all day behind a desk can have terrible effects on our health due to lack of activity. Nevertheless, new research has indicated that a small movement of the lower legs can lessen some of the negative effects of sitting still by keeping a muscle’s metabolism active for several hours.
The soleus muscle is the large muscle at the back of the lower leg that lies below the gastrocnemius.
It is a powerful muscle that is essential for walking, running and jumping. Scientists have revealed how you can unlock its metabolic potential with what they call the ‘soleus pump’
“We never imagined that this muscle had this kind of ability. It’s always been inside our bodies, but no one has ever sought to use it to optimize our health, until now,” said Marc Hamilton, professor of health and human performance at the University. of Houston, in a communiqué.
“When activated correctly, the soleus muscle can elevate local oxidative metabolism to high levels for hours, not just minutes, and does so using a different mix of fuels”
The experimental physiological study involved 25 participants whose lifestyles ranged from sedentary to active.
They then asked them to perform soleus push-ups from a comfortable seated position, using monitors and muscle biopsies to interpret the results.
Blood chemistry revealed that soleus pumps resulted in a 52% improvement in stabilizing blood sugar fluctuations and reduced insulin requirements by 60% when participants ingested glucose.
Soleus pumps could also burn fat in the blood, namely very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) that contribute to hypercholesterolemia, by stimulating soleus muscle metabolism in a way that would keep it working for several hours.
The effect meant that fat metabolism was doubled during the fasting period, thereby reducing blood fat levels.
“Amplification of otherwise negligible local energy expenditure by isolated contractions improved systemic VLDL triglyceride and glucose homeostasis to a large extent,” the team reports.
Part of the magic of soleus pumps probably has to do with how well this muscle stays contracted. Rather than breaking down glycogen like other muscles in the body, the soleus uses blood glucose and fat so it can continue to function as we walk and run without getting tired.
“The soleus’s lower-than-normal dependence on glycogen helps it function effortlessly for hours without fatigue during this type of muscular activity, as there is a definite limit to muscular endurance caused by glycogen depletion,” Hamilton added. “To our knowledge, this is the first concerted effort to develop a specialized type of contractile activity focused on optimizing human metabolic processes. »
“The soleus pump looks simple from the outside, but sometimes what we see with the naked eye isn’t the whole story,” Hamilton explained.
“It’s a very specific movement that currently requires wearable technology and experience to optimize health benefits. »
The team behind the discovery is now working to perfect the instructions so that office workers can perform the soleus pumps without the need for fancy lab technology.
However, this movement represents a promising future alternative to standing desks and under-desk treadmills for people who sit all day who want to improve their health and burn fat, but do not have access to these expensive equipment.
The results of the study have been published in the journal iScience.