All articles tagged with #exercise
Donna Mills, 82, says she works out nearly every day and still plays tennis, crediting her dancing background for staying in shape and highlighting that she hasn’t needed knee or hip replacements because she never stopped exercising. She urges others not to quit exercising as they age, noting it takes consistent effort; starting again after a break is painful, but the body will respond if you keep at it.
A 12-week trial in 48 overweight Japanese men found that daily plain yogurt, plus dietary guidance and regular walking, slowed biological aging by about 2.2% (measured by DunedinPACE), suggesting a combined benefit from probiotics, diet, and exercise—though the study is small and short, and results can’t yet be generalized.
A small 12-week trial in 48 overweight men (Japan) found that daily yogurt (with probiotics) plus diet changes and walking slowed the pace of biological aging by about 2.2% as measured by DunedinPACE, independent of weight loss; results suggest a combined effect of probiotics, diet, and exercise, with a simultaneous improvement in a kidney-function DNA marker, but the study's small size and short duration limit conclusions about long-term health benefits.
A simple 10-second, one-leg balance test may help estimate how long you’ll live and how mobile you’ll stay, reflecting how well your body’s systems work together. A 2022 study of about 1,700 adults aged 51–75 linked failing the test to an 84% higher risk of death over 10 years. If you can’t pass yet, start with a few seconds per leg, use a wall or the lifted toe for stability, and gradually increase duration—balance can be trained and improve aging outcomes over time.
New Duke-NUS research shows exercise can reverse aging-related muscle decline by lowering DEAF1, which otherwise drives excessive mTORC1 activity and damaged-protein buildup. By rebalancing protein production and removal, exercise helps aging muscles repair and stay stronger, a result seen in fruit flies and older mice. The benefit may be limited when DEAF1 is very high or FOXO activity is too low, suggesting potential therapies that mimic exercise.
Regular exercise can modulate all 14 hallmarks of ageing identified in a scientific review, improving genome stability, telomere maintenance, epigenetic regulation, proteostasis, autophagy, mitochondria, intercellular communication and inflammation among others; the lifestyle benefits are echoed by findings that 7,000 daily steps cut all-cause mortality by ~47% and strength training may add up to four years of life.
Balancing strength, cardio, and stretching is key, but VO2 max—the body’s maximum oxygen use during intense exercise—emerges as a strong predictor of longevity. Higher VO2 max correlates with longer life in men and women, while sedentary behavior lowers it; you can measure it with wearables and should aim for roughly 35 ml/kg/min for men and 27 for women, improving it through regular high‑intensity cardio like running, cycling, swimming, or skiing. The American Heart Association recommends about 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous cardio weekly, with benefits ranging from better energy and mood to reduced risk of diabetes, some cancers, osteoporosis, and mortality.
Regular physical training reshapes age-related muscle molecular profiles: trained older adults show about half of the age-related declines in energy metabolism gene expression disappear, producing aging muscle signatures similar to younger individuals. While acute exercise triggers immune and stress responses in everyone, the strength of these responses in older adults correlates with fitness. Integrated multi-omics reveal links between mitochondrial respiration, lipid metabolism, stress responses, and NAD+ biology, suggesting that sustained training decelerates molecular aging and preserves energy metabolism while enhancing exercise responsiveness in aging muscle.
A UK Biobank study following about 90,000 volunteers for a median of 12 years links prolonged sedentary bouts (30 minutes with little movement) to higher cancer incidence and mortality, while breaking up sitting with light activity lowers risk—about a 12% reduction in cancer death per extra hour replaced by light activity and up to 22% with short bursts of vigorous exercise. While observational and not proof of causation, the findings support guidelines that emphasize breaking up sitting time and show that even light movement can meaningfully benefit health.
Sweating primarily helps regulate body temperature and protect the skin; it doesn’t flush toxins from the body—that job lies with the liver and kidneys. The main health benefits come from the exercise or activity that causes sweating, while antiperspirants generally don’t impede the body's cooling system in normal use.
New research challenges the traditional RICE approach for sprains and strains, suggesting that rest and ice can slow healing and that inflammation is a crucial part of recovery. Experts now advocate moving the injured area with low-load, long-duration activity and adopting the PEACE and LOVE protocol as a better framework to speed rehab.
Healthy but sedentary adults show early cellular energy declines: mitochondrial efficiency drops 28–36%, MPC1 protein is 49% lower, and CPT1 activity is halved, alongside 38% lower VO2 max and 60% higher lactate during exertion, indicating a pre-disease shift in fuel processing that regular exercise may help prevent by maintaining mitochondrial fuel-switching (metabolic flexibility).
AI analysis of upper-body CT scans from 1,722 patients with chest pain found that higher chest and back muscle density (better-quality skeletal muscle) is associated with a 31% lower risk of heart attack and a 39% lower risk of death over 10 years. Muscle size did not predict risk, suggesting muscle composition matters. Findings, published in Radiology, could lead to routine scans flagging at-risk individuals who may benefit from more exercise or preventive treatments, though more research is needed.
A panel of health experts says seniors don’t need drastic changes—focus on practical nutrition (fiber-rich foods, at least ~20g protein per meal, vitamin D sources), adequate hydration (about 48 ounces daily), and regular, moderate exercise (~150 minutes per week) tailored to ability. Emphasize a whole, plant-based Mediterranean-style pattern, social well-being, and proactive cardiovascular risk screening to support overall health and independence as we age.
Nature Metabolism’s News & Views previews Sandsdal, Holt et al.’s findings that exercise alone, or in combination with the GLP-1 receptor agonist liraglutide, improves cardiovascular health markers and reduces carotid intima-media thickness. Liraglutide without exercise preserves weight loss but yields fewer cardiovascular benefits than exercise, highlighting benefits beyond weight loss for GLP-1 therapies in cardiovascular disease.