Physical Wellness

Experts Reveal Best Exercise Suited for Aging Muscles [VIDEO]

By Mark Miller | Update Date: Mar 24, 2017 10:13 AM EDT

The latest study reveals that certain types of physical activities can undo the years of damage that we do to the body's mitochondria. Exercise appears to have a strong cellular impact to the body depending on the activities and the age of the person.

Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester looked into the cellular level of 72 healthy men and women who had no regular physical activities. These test subjects were either younger than 30-years or older than 64.

Baseline measures were initially taken before experts established standard fitness activities and exercise regimen for each of the test subjects. Their blood-sugar levels, gene activity and mitochondrial health of their aging muscles were also recorded before randomly assigning each of them an exercise routine, the New York Times reported.

Aging can bring several effects to the human body. This does not only appear on the outside but as well as the cellular level of the body.

Damage to the muscles can be severe especially in older muscles since they do not have the capacity to regenerate easily and becomes weaker through time. As the body's mitochondria ages, producing energy to sustain physical activities diminishes as well.

Results of the study revealed that high-intensity training, done in intervals can help in sustaining healthy aging muscles and improve the mitochondria's capacity to produce energy. Although, there are some training adaptations that comes with these physical activities resulting to an increased production of gene transcripts and ribosome proteins in the body. Changes in RNA were also present but was not too significant, the Cell explains.

Some of the test subjects also did extensive weight training for several days in a week. Others had brief interval training on a stationary bike thrice a well, while others lifted light weights for several days

A fourth group was also formed from the 72 participants and were not asked to do any physical activity. All of those who had a form of exercise followed was able to regulate their blood sugar and experienced improvement in their overall fitness.

Improved endurance was also observed from those who did interval training while those who were put into weight lifting showed an improved gain in muscle mass.

 

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