Our skin is the largest organ of the human body that helps in protecting us from the outer world of infections and unwanted microbes. It is also the symbol of youth and age. The first signs of ageing shows on our skin and all of us need to take care and maintain a healthy regime to delay ageing and make our skin appear as youthful and clear. Though many people tend to apply different products to achieve healthy skin, it is now scientifically proven that regular exercise and getting rid of unhealthy food habits can work wonders for the skin. Moreover, with age, the skin tends to take more time in healing wounds which can be also slowed down by consistent workouts.
Justin Crane, an Assistant Professor of Biology at Northeastern University, formed a team to execute research on the mechanism that improves the anti-ageing properties in mice to heal wounds faster. This team published a study in November 2019 which showed that low doses of a protein called Interleukin 15 improved the ability of the skin to heal a wound in older mice by imitating some of the anti-ageing benefits of exercise. This protein is also found in the human body which helps in energising all the cells responsible for healing wounds. Research has shown that regular exercise helps boost this protein in the human body.
Skin healing is a complicated process involving a lot of signalling between cells to start off the process of cell repairing. However, Crane says that it was a revelation that only one component delays ageing of the skin as it was assumed to involve many other components to complete this different-layered procedure. He states, “Either IL-15 is stimulating multiple other processes to go in sort of a domino fashion—which is totally possible—or it’s just a very potent activator of very important pathways.”
Other than skin healing, this research can further experiment on how it can be effective in people with diabetes and other health issues and target other organs as well.
Rubena Bose