Staying Younger, Longer

By: Stephen Anton

Many of us are looking for ways to stay young and although we can’t stop the clock, it seems there is a way to fight the aging process with a few lifestyle changes.

According to new research, part of the secret could be related to lifelong physical exercise.

The key findings of this research were that individuals aged 68 and above who were physically active throughout their life had healthy muscles that were more resistant to fatigue compared with individuals who were inactive, regardless of their age. They had more muscle stem cells, necessary for muscle regeneration, and protection against nerve decay.

Also noteworthy, the lifelong exercisers outperformed young (21 – 31 years of age) sedentary adults as they performed knee extension movements during heavy resistance exercises.

This is the first study in humans that confirms lifelong exercise, (cardio or resistance training) could delay some of the detrimental effects of aging.
So, it seems that lifelong exercise, even at a recreational level, may be an important piece of the puzzle for protecting us against age-related decline in muscle function.

*Preserved stem cell content and innervation profile of elderly human skeletal muscle with lifelong recreational exercise. The Journal of Physiology, 2022;