New Study Finds Resistance Training Has an Effect On Weight Loss

Man lifting weight
Photo by Alora Griffiths on Unsplash

The positive effect that lifting weights has on cardiovascular health and muscle building is well known. But fascinating new research published in The FACEB Journal revealed that strength training has another proven benefit, which is specifically important for those looking to lose weight—it is very efficient at burning fat.

The study’s preliminary findings suggest that when we lift weights, our muscles release a specific type of genetic material into the bloodstream. That genetic material then seems to be transferred to our fat cells to speed up the fat-burning process. In short, the mere act of lifting weights may spur a biological process that starts to metabolize fat cells.

What prompted the scientist to conduct their research was the quick fat-burning processes observed in weightlifters. While it makes scientific sense that the larger your muscles, the more fat you burn, it wasn’t enough to explain those immediate fat-burning benefits. In a statement to The New York Times, John J.NcCarthy, Ph.D., one of the study’s authors, said that the discovery is yet another reminder that “muscle mass is vitally important for metabolic health.”