Exercise and Aging

Exercise Beneficial Effects Change With Your Age

 Milla Bengtsson  June 8, 2016

For older adults, a 30-minute workout may not be as effective, even at the cellular level, as it was when you were younger. Age, according to a new study, may be an important part of a cell’s ability to respond to activity.

In the study, led by Tinna Traustadóttir of Northern Arizona University, a group of men ages 18 to 30 were tested against a group of older men 55 years and older. Study participants were generally healthy, non-smokers, who were not taking antioxidant supplements in excess of a multivitamin, or any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for two weeks leading up to the experiment.

The two groups cycled for 30-minutes, with blood being drawn six different times measuring cell function and antioxidant response. For the study, the exercise intensity was relative to the individual’s age and maximal aerobic capacity determined during a screening./.../