Movement is the oldest and most effective medicine in human history – and simultaneously the one most frequently ignored. Prof. Dr. Jörg Spitz illuminates in his lectures and books why physical activity is far more than sport: it is a biological basic need that regulates our entire metabolic system.
The astronaut lesson exemplifies what lack of movement causes. Astronauts who spend weeks in weightlessness return with dramatic muscle and bone losses – despite daily training sessions on board. Gravity is a constant, vital training stimulus. Those who sit for hours deprive themselves of this stimulus – with the same biological consequences.
The musculature is far more than a locomotor system. It is the body's largest endocrine organ – a hormone gland that, when activated, releases so-called myokines. These messenger substances have anti-inflammatory effects, protect the brain (BDNF – "fertiliser for the brain"), improve glucose metabolism, and strengthen the immune system. Regular movement is thus literally hormone therapy.
Both endurance training and strength training are recommended by Prof. Dr. Spitz as central preventive measures. Strength training preserves muscle mass, which decreases annually from age 30 without targeted training (sarcopenia). Endurance training improves cardiovascular fitness and demonstrably reduces the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, depression, and certain cancers.
Prof. Dr. Spitz advocates not for excessive sport, but for a culture of movement in everyday life: stairs instead of lifts, walking instead of driving, regular breaks from sitting, and targeted strength sessions. His credo: the body does not need a gym – it needs movement as an integral part of life.