Studies Reveal That Exercise Keeps You Younger

We've all been saying it and can think of a thousand reasons why. Studies have confirmed it. You can find numerous lists online about how strength training improves brain function, why it is so healthy to sweat, and how exercise increases productivity. Now there is real science and numerical evidence that exercise can add a few more years onto your clock.

Europe PMC showcases a study used to examine the extent to which exercise could delay dependency and improve overall wellness. This study took matters online and searched the web to compare personal profiles and other studies to determine the difference between people who exercised and people who didn’t. It also took into account whether exercise could work in a dose-response case (like measuring a single dose of medicine instead of its long-term use).
The results were not too surprising. Those who had been exercising for longer periods of time had the best benefit. Subjects who partook in physical activity experience a cumulative effect. The more people exercised, the greater the correlation with delayed disability and independence was. Physical function was also better within subjects who exercised regularly. Although people who exercised  at once-off intervals often reported feeling better after the activities, no evidence could confirm that singular exercise sessions improved physical or mental states.

Science Direct has an interesting study that was done on mice. It showed that exercise increased brain function by stimulating more amounts of neurons generated in the brain. The study noted that doing exercise more regularly decreased the rate at which each exercise session increased brain cells, but that regular exercise decreased the decline in brain cells as a result of age. The brain created the most cells during the 3rd day of exercise, and did not create more drain cells after the 32 days of exercise. The effects then became protective. In initial stages, exercise increased brain function. At later stages, it protected the brain from degeneration.

A study by the American Psychological Association analysed 36 studies about the relationship between older people without clinical disorders and exercise. It found that regular, moderate aerobic exercise had the best correlation with improved wellness and vitality. Inconclusively, the study reports that longer periods of physical activity were less beneficial for a few health factors. It said that regular physical exercise showed the most benefit for self-independence, cardiovascular health, strength and physical function.

Oxford Academy lists numerous studies that come to the following conclusions on how exercise assists in preventing age-related degeneration:

• Aging decreases aerobic capacity, but exercise increases it.
• Aging increases heart rate and blood pressure as a response to physical activity, exercise decreases it.
• Aging decreases tissue elasticity but exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases muscle strength, power and endurance. Exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases motor coordination but exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases neural reaction time but exercise can increase it.
• Aging decreases enzyme capacity and mitochondrial density but exercise increases it.
• Aging decrease walk speed, step length, cadence and stability where exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases maximal cardiac output but exercise can increase it.
• Aging decreases endothelial reactivity but exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases maximal skeletal muscle blood flow but exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases capillary density but exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases vascular insulin sensitivity but exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases total energy expenditure and exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases total body water but exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases total body potassium, nitrogen and calcium. Exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases protein synthesis rate, and amino acid uptake into skeletal muscle. It also decreases nitrogen retention and protein turnover. Exercise increases all of these.
• Aging decreases gastrointestinal transit time but exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases glycogen storage capacity but exercise increases it.
• Aging increases bad cholesterol and exercise can decrease it.
• Aging increases hormonal and sympathetic nervous system response to stress, but exercise decreases it.
• Aging decreases REM and slow wave sleep duration, but exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases temperature toleration (heat and cold) but exercise increases it.
• Aging decreases attention span but exercise increases it.

So there you have it: regular exercise can keep you younger for longer, prevent a whole array of diseases, increase life quality and positive and improve mental and physical function. However: as you age it becomes more important to do so safely and moderately. STAY STRONG!

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