Autophagy, exercise, and lifestyle modification

Regular exercise is an established stimulus to promote multiple health benefits and subsequently improve well-being and physical performance. In order to mediate these responses, exercise must induce widespread perturbations to cellular homeostasis so as to meet muscle energy and oxygen demands. Autophagy has recently been implicated in the adaptation responses to resistance and endurance exercise through the degradation of macromolecules and subcellular organelles, particularly the mitochondria, and release of amino acids which can be used for metabolic processes such as muscle protein synthesis. This chapter will focus on the molecular mechanisms mediating autophagic signaling responses in skeletal muscle following resistance and endurance exercise, and the adaptation processes these responses regulate with altered nutrient availability and energetic demands.