Exercise
The researchers followed nearly 5,000 adults across the spectrum of 40 – 60 years of age from across the USA for 30 years. In essence, the study recommends that we need to DOUBLE the amount of weekly exercise 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise to a minimum of 5.0 hours each week to have an impact. 2.5 hours of weekly exercise DID NOT prevent hypertension and 5.0+ hours of weekly exercise DID. [from Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2nd edition]
2022- Science 18 Feb pg711:Exercise doesn’t help you burn more calories (on average)! Total energy expenditure decline steadily from birth to age 25, and again from 60 to 90+. Elders burn 26% less energy than middle-aged adults. Basic metabolic rate uses 50 to 70% of total energy use. Our big brains use 20%. Sedentary women who trained to run a half-marathon burned barely more energy after training. However, people who exercise are less likely to gain weight in the first place. It affects where fat is stored, the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Exercise prevents you from getting sick, and tamps down the stress response. It lowers inflammation. But diet is the best tool for weight management. Stress is also effective to burn calories, 40% more while taking a math test.
Studies have found that exercise is associated with reduced brain decay. Therefore, physical activity may help protect against cognitive decline. In a study of 120 participants, individuals who exercised regularly showed growth of the hippocampus, a region of the brain associated with memory, and they performed better on memory tests compared to individuals in the control group. For more information on physical activity and health, please visit these resources below: https://www.alz.org/help-support/brain_health/stay_physically_active; https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/older_adults/index.htm; https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/exercise-physical-activity
In a British study, when participants wrote down when, where, and how they exercised, 91% followed through on exercise programs. In groups that did not write it down, less than 40% succeeded. It is best to exercise in the morning, when cortisol levels are higher to provide motivation. To get better exercise walking, pull in your abs and pump your arms back and forth. 100-130 steps per minute
Added 4 Aug 2021 - The Copenhagen City Heart Study (CCHS) is a prospective population study that included detailed questionnaires regarding participation in different types of sports and leisure-time physical activity. The 8577 participants were followed for up to 25 years. Multivariable-adjusted life expectancy gains compared with the sedentary group for different sports were as follows: tennis, 9.7 years; badminton, 6.2 years; soccer, 4.7 years; cycling, 3.7 years; swimming, 3.4 years; jogging, 3.2 years; calisthenics, 3.1 years; and health club activities, 1.5 years. See section on exercise.
Science 16 July ‘21 pg 281-Destroying aging (senescent) cells improves survival! Senescent cells amplify damaging inflammation. “senescent cell load and the secretome increase, which drives inflammation, tissue damage, further infection, inflammation-related pathology, and death. Removal of senescent cells…reduces inflammation to below the “young” threshold, allowing disease resolution and survival.
Science 8 June ‘21 Exercise reduces circulating biomarkers of cellular senescence in humans.
Our study provides first-in-human evidence that biomarkers of senescent cell burden are significantly lowered by a structured exercise program and predictive of the adaptive response to exercise.