PAP: The massage works just like medicine...

Massage works similarly to anti-inflammatory drugs and has an impact on genes. 

Massage therapy causes the deactivation of genes responsible for inflammatory conditions and activates genes that facilitate muscle healing, according to the latest study by Canadian researchers from McMaster University.

As reported in the journal "Science Translational Medicine," it all started with an injury suffered by Mark Tarnopolsky (a researcher specializing in neurometabolism) while working at McMaster during his vacation. During his rehabilitation, he also used massage, which proved to be very helpful. This intrigued him so much that he decided to investigate the mechanism that makes massage such an effective therapy.

"Although there is evidence that massage can reduce muscle pain, the unknown aspect was how massage affects cellular-level functioning," wrote the study's authors.

The study involved 11 young men willing to contribute to science by performing intense cycling exercises to induce muscle fatigue and soreness. Ten minutes after intense training, a massage therapist arrived, and then returned after another 2.5 hours. Only one leg of each participant was massaged. Researchers analyzed muscle tissue samples without knowing which leg they came from. Only the massage therapist knew, to ensure the objectivity of the study.

Scientists know that exercise activates genes related to inflammatory processes and tissue regeneration. However, the genetic results of massage surprised them. Muscle tissue samples from the massaged legs showed a 30 percent increase in PGC-1alpha—a protein that aids in building mitochondria, the cell parts responsible for producing energy from food. On the other hand, the samples from massaged muscles had three times less NfkB—compared to the untreated muscles—which activates genes responsible for inflammation, as summarized in "Science Translational Medicine." The way massage affects the cellular level is similar to that of anti-inflammatory drugs.

The study also found no evidence that massage helps eliminate lactic acid from muscles, i.e., muscle soreness. "In a way, you can have your cake and eat it too," Tarnopolsky concluded. "I will certainly use massages more frequently," he added. According to internet users, these study results might not be appealing to pharmaceutical companies that earn significant profits from anti-inflammatory drugs.