There are so many reasons to exercise. Exercise is good for your body and for your mental attitude. Many people avoid exercise, thinking that it is necessary to exercise for longer periods of time in order to see any benefits. However, this is not the case. According to a new study, just ten minutes of brisk exercise can result in more than one hour of benefits to your body.

Experts believe that even just this short burst of exercise can trigger metabolic changes in the body that last for at least an hour. It appears that there are greater benefits for those who are more in shape and fewer benefits for those are less fit. Researchers in metabolic profiling measured biochemical changes the blood of individuals of various levels of fitness. The participants in the study ranged from healthy middle-aged people to marathon runners.

The scientists placed the participants on a treadmill and found that more than 20 metabolites changed during exercises. These metabolites produce natural compounds that burn calories and fat as well as improve control of blood sugar levels. Some of these metabolites became more active during exercise, such as those associated with fat processing, while other metabolites became less active during exercise, such as those associated with cellular stress. Many of the metabolic changes that occurred as a result of exercise were still measurable one hour following the exercise program.

These findings suggest that exercise can have long-term biochemical benefits. In addition, those who are more fit appear to burn more fat in a shorter period of time than those who are less fit. In the study, participants who were marathon runners had a ten-fold increase in a metabolite involved in fat breakdown. Moreover, those who were more in shape had greater increases in niacinamide, a metabolite that is involved in control of the blood sugar.

Additional studies are needed in order to uncover more clues about how exercise affects the body in the long term.