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Oct 27, 2023

Can Lifting Weights Protect Your Skin?

South Agency / Getty Images Exercising is good for the heart and mind, but it might also prevent skin aging, according to a small study published in Scientific Reports. The second layer of our

South Agency / Getty Images

Exercising is good for the heart and mind, but it might also prevent skin aging, according to a small study published in Scientific Reports.

The second layer of our skin—the dermis—gets thinner as we age. We also lose proteins such as collagen and elastin, which causes the skin to wrinkle and sag. This natural process, along with environmental, genetic, and lifestyle factors, all influence how we look as we get older.

Many skin care products and supplements promise to slow down skin aging. However, the new study suggests that aerobic and resistance exercise could also improve skin elasticity and upper dermal structure.

According to the researchers, resistance training—such as weightlifting—seemed to increase dermal thickness more so than other forms of exercise. Resistance training may be able to increase certain gene activities that produce proteins for strengthening these connective skin tissues.

But some health experts aren’t too convinced that exercising alone will give everyone a natural facelift.

Only 56 women aged 41–59 years living in Kusatsu, Japan, were included in the trial.

Differences in sun exposure, pollution, diet, and other health behaviors could all influence how these results apply to other populations, according to Janiene Luke, MD, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist and an associate professor of dermatology at Loma Linda University School of Medicine who was not involved in the study.

“It is often difficult to generalize results such as these to a larger population,” Luke told Verywell via an email. “Additional larger studies are needed to better understand the effects of exercise on skin aging.”

Prior studies have found that endurance training like running and cycling has an anti-aging effect on the skin as well.

Researchers suggested that after exercising, the hormone Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is elevated. According to Luke, IL-15 can act as a “mediator” that stimulates the synthesis of mitochondria, also known as the battery for cells. Mitochondria can use glucose (blood sugar) and oxygen to generate energy for cells to perform their tasks properly, and they play an important role in skin function.

Studies have shown that mitochondrial damage accumulates in skin cells with age, sun exposure, and pollution. But IL-15, which may be stimulated by exercise, could increase mitochondrial activities and protect skin tissues as a result.

However, the mechanisms and effects of IL-15 on muscles and skin tissues are still unclear, and more research is needed, Luke said.

While several studies found aerobic exercise can protect the skin from aging, some doctors said otherwise. A plastic surgeon claimed that long-distance runners often have a “gaunt, old face” and recommended low or no-impact workouts instead.

But doing some form of exercise that you enjoy is likely better for your skin than skipping it altogether.

Exercising can improve the elasticity and structure of the skin by reducing inflammation, according to Lauren Eckert Ploch, MD, MEd, FAAD, a board-certified dermatologist in Augusta, GA.

“Aerobic exercise is better at ‘turning off’ inflammatory signaling while resistance training is better at ‘turning on’ anti-aging signaling,” Ploch told Verywell in an email.

Future studies may provide more evidence on which type of workout is best for improving skin, but the science isn’t there yet. For now, Ploch said both aerobic exercise and strength training have their benefits for the skin and it’s important to have a balanced workout routine.

Resistance training can strengthen muscles and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Research shows that it might also benefit skin health by improving elasticity and upper dermal structure.

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Nishikori S, Yasuda J, Murata K, et al. Resistance training rejuvenates aging skin by reducing circulating inflammatory factors and enhancing dermal extracellular matrices. Sci Rep. 2023;13(1):10214. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-37207-9

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