HealthNotes

Exercise improves circulation, which means more oxygen and healing nutrients can get to tissues like the skin, and more damaging oxygen free radicals and other toxins can be cleared. Here’s a rundown of exercise’s other beauty benefits:

• Reduce acne. Being physically active can lead to better regulation of hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, all of which may contribute to skin problems like acne.
• Tamp down stress hormones. Over time, regular exercise can improve skin health by reducing chronically elevated levels of the stress hormone, cortisol. Excess cortisol can increase the production of sebum, the waxy substance made by skin cells that clogs pores and contributes to acne. Too much cortisol also increases skin aging by damaging skin’s main structural protein, collagen.
• Potential damage reversal. In one study, researchers found that exercise not only protected against age-related skin damage, but could even reverse it.
• Overall skin benefits. Getting regular exercise can reduce chronic inflammation, improve mood and metabolism, and strengthen immune health, all of which can have indirect benefits for skin health.

Source: European Journal of Applied Physiology