Its not just our legs that get put through the wringer during a marathon, new research suggests.
Scientists have found evidence that our brains can undergo dramatic changes while were running an extreme long distance race.
Researchers in Spain conducted the study,publishedMonday in the journal Nature Metabolism.
People running a marathon.© Pavel1964 via Shutterstock
Marathons are grueling tests of endurance, requiring participants to run 26.2 miles.
But eventually, this fuel runs low, prompting our bodies to burn off stored fat instead.
Research in rodents hassuggestedthat brains can use myelin as one such source of fat when needed.
Before the marathon, the runners had similar levels of myelin (measured using anindirect biomarker).
Its unknown whether myelin is used differently depending on the emergency situation, for instance.
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