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New research analyzed how exercise affects signs of aging in the muscles.<\/p>\n
Scientists found that older adults who exercised had younger-looking muscles.<\/p>\n
The findings make the case for working out regularly as you age.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s no secret that exercise benefits your health in myriad ways, but new research suggests there\u2019s yet another perk to consider: It may keep you young.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the major takeaway from a new study, published in the journal Nature Aging<\/a>.For the study, researchers analyzed data from 47 adults: 11 participants under the age of 30, and 36 participants over 65. The older group was divided into three sub-groups based on their physical activity levels: Those who exercised regularly, those who were \u201cnormally active,\u201d and those who were physically impaired.<\/p>\n All of the participants took part in a one-hour, moderate-intensity exercise session on a stationary bike, designed to require 50% of their maximum effort. Researchers took muscle biopsies before and after the exercise session, which were analyzed through a series of tests.<\/p>\n One test looked at age-related changes in gene expression. The researchers found that the group that exercised regularly didn\u2019t have about 50% of these age-related changes\u2014meaning, their muscles appeared younger than they actually were. (The changes were present in the normally active and physically impaired groups.)<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Georges E. Janssens, Ph.D<\/a>., lead study author and assistant professor at Amsterdam University Medical Center\u2019s Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases; Richard Dupee, M.D<\/a>., chief of geriatrics at Tufts Medical Center<\/p>\n The researchers also looked at participants\u2019 levels of metabolites related to NAD+, a molecule that\u2019s crucial for DNA repair and overall cell health. Levels of NAD+ naturally decline with age, but interestingly, the exercise group had less pronounced changes in NAD+-related metabolites than the normally active and impaired groups.<\/p>\n \u201cThese findings highlight the potential of exercise training to substantially mitigate age-related molecular changes in muscle, offering insights into how physical activity can preserve muscle health during aging,\u201d the researchers wrote in the conclusion.<\/p>\n \u201cRather than simply asking whether exercise is \u2018good for you,\u2019 we wanted to understand which molecular pathways in muscle remain youthful with exercise and which continue to change with age despite being physically active,\u201d says Georges E. Janssens, Ph.D<\/a>., lead study author and assistant professor at Amsterdam University Medical Center\u2019s Laboratory Genetic Metabolic Diseases.<\/p>\n What\u2019s behind these correlations, and what does it mean for you? Below, doctors break it down.<\/p>\n What\u2019s behind this link?<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that the study didn\u2019t prove that having an exercise routine reduced age-related changes in the study participants\u2014it simply found a link between regular exercise and improved biomarkers. The study was also relatively small. Still, doctors say there\u2019s likely something to this association.<\/p>\n One of the \u201cmost striking\u201d findings was that older adults who exercised regularly did not have a decline in mitochondrial transcripts, Janssens says. (The mitochondria is the \u201cpowerhouse\u201d of the cell. As cells age, they have trouble balancing mitochondria\u2019s RNA, which leads to less energy and metabolism.) Those who were less active did see this decrease. \u201cThis suggests that the difference wasn\u2019t simply due to chronological age, but was strongly associated with maintaining a highly active lifestyle over time,\u201d Janssens says.<\/p>\n Exercise seems to preserve several aspects of mitochondria and muscle function thatwould otherwise decline with age, Janssens says. \u201cAt the same time, we also found pathways that were not fully restored by exercise, highlighting that while exercise is incredibly beneficial, it doesn’t completely prevent all aspects of the aging process,\u201d Janssens says.<\/p>\n