VOA慢速英語: 研究表明經常鍛煉可以改變我們的DNA

Study: Regular Exercise Can Change Our DNA

研究表明：經常鍛煉可以改變我們的DNA

FILE - A bicyclist pedals along main street in Richford, Vermont. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

Swedish scientists say they have proven that physical exercise changes not only our health but also our genetic material.

瑞典科學家表示：進行體育鍛煉不僅能夠改善健康狀況，而且還會改變基因。

Scientists have long known that some diets or exposure to chemicals can change the way genes send and receive chemical signals in the body. But nothing was known about the influence of physical exercise.

一直以來，科學家清楚知道一些飲食習慣、接觸一些化學物質會導致體內基因的變化。但是幾乎沒有人知道體育鍛煉也會改變基因。

The Swedish study shows that exercise can have an effect on our deoxyribonucleic acid or DNA. DNA is often called the "building blocks of life.” DNA is the material that carries genetic information in cells.

瑞典的研究表明體育運動會影響我們的DNA。DNA是生命機能運作的基本成分。DNA 是細胞中攜帶遺傳信息的分子。

The study was a project of scientists at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. They asked 23 young, healthy women and men to exercise on stationary bicycles with only one leg, several times a week for three months. The scientists then compared DNA taken from muscle cells in both legs. They found DNA had changed greatly in the leg that got more exercise. Many of the genes that changed were linked to energy, insulin and muscle inflammation or pain.

這項研究是斯德哥爾摩卡羅林斯卡學院的科學家的研究項目。他們要求23名年輕、健康的女性和男性在健身腳踏車上只用一條腿鍛煉，一周進行多次鍛煉，持續(xù)三個月。然后科學家從兩條腿肌肉細胞中中抽取DNA比較。他們發(fā)現多運動的那條腿的基因發(fā)生很大的變化。很多基因的變化都與能量、胰島素和肌肉的炎癥和疼痛有關。

Scientists say this shows that regular exercise affects our genes and can lead to better health. They say future studies would examine how long the changes last if someone stops exercising.

科學家稱這一研究表明經常鍛煉確實會影響我們的基因，會讓人更健康。他們表示未來的研究會檢驗一下如果停止鍛煉后，基因改變時間會持續(xù)多久。

I’m Christopher Cruise.

我是克里斯托弗·格魯斯。

This story was reported by VOA Science Correspondent George Putic.Christopher Cruise wrote it for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

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Words in this Story

DNA/deoxyribonucleic acid – n. a substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants and animals

exposure – n. the fact or condition of being affected by something or experiencing something; the condition of being exposed to something

insulin – n. a substance that your body makes and uses to turn sugar into energy

Are you surprised that the human body’s DNA can be changed by exercise? Do you exercise? If you do, do you notice any changes in your body from the exercises? We want to hear from you. Write your thoughts in the comments section.