Anti-Aging Benefits of Exercise
Cardio? Weight Lifting? Does exercise slow down the aging process? If so, which type of exercise is best?
Which Type of Exercise Has a Stronger Anti-Aging Effect?
A study in the European Heart Journal says that aerobic exercise and HIIT (high intensity interval training) have more of an anti-aging effect on the body over weight lifting for anti-aging effects on the body.
The study found that HIIT exercise and aerobic lengthened telomeres in the body. (an anti-aging effect)
What Are Telomeres? How Do They Indicate Biological Age?
Telomeres are compound structures at the end of a chromosome. Telomeres are basically is an indicator of biological age. Longer telomeres indicate youth and as they shorten over time, they eventually predict the death of the body.
What's The Minimum Amount of Exercise Needed To Get This Effect?
Harvard health recommends a minimum of 20 minutes of aerobic activity at least 2-3 times a week for an anti-aging effect on the cells of the body.
What Is Weight Lifting Good For Then?
Weight lifting may not lengthen telomeres, but it will help replace muscle mass that would otherwise be lost to aging.
Are There Multiple Studies On This?
There have been multiple studies that have shown a correlation between lengthened telomeres (more youthful cells) and regular exercise. The Preventative Medicine journal found the same correlation on a study of 5823 people between 1999 & 2002
What Are The Other Anti-Aging Benefits of Exercise?
Decreased risk of osteoporosis
Improved mood and alertness
Improved sleep
Staves off age related memory loss
Promotes healthy collagen production (healthy looking skin)
Promotes new skin cells
It's definitely worth getting a regular cardio or weight lifting routine going if you don't already have one!