Mayo discovers high-intensity aerobic training can reverse aging processes in adults

Mayo discovers high-intensity aerobic training can reverse aging processes in adults

OCHESTER, Minn. -- Everyone knows that exercise is good for you, but what type of training helps most, especially when you're older -- say over 65? A Mayo Clinic study says it's high-intensity aerobic exercise, which can reverse some cellular aspects of aging. The findings appear in Cell Metabolism.

Mayo researchers compared high-intensity interval training, resistance training and combined training. All training types improved lean body mass and insulin sensitivity, but only high-intensity and combined training improved aerobic capacity and mitochondrial function for skeletal muscle. Decline in mitochondrial content and function are common in older adults.

High-intensity intervals also improved muscle protein content that not only enhanced energetic functions, but also caused muscle enlargement, especially in older adults. The researchers emphasized an important finding: Exercise training significantly enhanced the cellular machinery responsible for making new proteins. That contributes to protein synthesis, thus reversing a major adverse effect of aging. However, adding resistance training is important to achieve significant muscle strength.

"We encourage everyone to exercise regularly, but the take-home message for aging adults that supervised high-intensity training is probably best, because, both metabolically and at the molecular level, it confers the most benefits," says K. Sreekumaran Nair, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist and senior researcher on the study. He says the high-intensity training reversed some manifestations of aging in the body's protein function. He cautioned that increasing muscle strength requires resistance training a couple of days a week.

The study's goal was to find evidence that will help develop targeted therapies and exercise recommendations for individuals at various ages. Researchers tracked metabolic and molecular changes in a group of young and older adults over 12 weeks, gathering data 72 hours after individuals in randomized groups completed each type of exercise. General findings showed:

Cardio respiratory health, muscle mass and insulin sensitivity improved with all training.

Mitochondrial cellular function declined with age but improved with training.

Increase in muscle strength occurred only modestly with high-intensity interval training but occurred with resistance training alone or when added to the aerobic training.

Exercise improves skeletal muscle gene expression independent of age.

Exercise substantially enhanced the ribosomal proteins responsible for synthesizing new proteins, which is mainly responsible for enhanced mitochondrial function.

Training has little effect on skeletal muscle DNA energy transfer but promotes skeletal muscle protein expression with maximum effect in older adults.

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Co-authors on the article are all from Mayo Clinic:

Matthew Robinson
Surendra Dasari, Ph.D.
Adam Konopka
Matthew L. Johnson,
Manjunatha Shankarappa, M.D.
Raul Ruiz Esponda
Rickey Carter, Ph.D.,
Ian Lanza, Ph.D.

The research was supported by several grants from the National Institutes of Health, as well as by Mayo Clinic, the Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging and the Murdock-Dole Professorship.

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2017-03/mc-mdh031017.php

High-intensity interval training

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training

Procedure

High-intensity interval training can be described as an exercise session composed entirely of HIIT techniques, or as a component of an exercise plan. HIIT exercise sessions generally consist of a warm up period, then several repetitions of high-intensity exercise separated by medium intensity exercise for recovery, then a cool down period. The high-intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. The medium exercise should be about 50% intensity. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise, but may be as little as three repetitions with just 20 seconds of intense exercise [4] The specific exercises performed during the high-intensity portions vary.

There is no specific formula to HIIT. Depending on one's level of cardiovascular development, the moderate-level intensity can be as slow as walking.[5] A common formula involves a 2:1 ratio of work to recovery periods, for example, 30–40 seconds of hard sprinting alternated with 15–20 seconds of jogging or walking.

The entire HIIT session may last between four and thirty minutes, meaning that it is considered to be an excellent way to maximize a workout that is limited on time.[6] Use of a clock or timer is recommended to keep accurate times, the number of rounds, and intensity.

Good to read both of these posts above.

I think any regular exercise is good for health.
However, it's perhaps best to start slowly and build up your general fitness, especially if you may not have taken any regular exercise before.

I have seen smaller goals being set e.g. walking between two lamp posts, or trees, and each day (or couple of days) increasing the speed that you do this, and thus increasing the HIIT... until you build up strength, stamina and fitness.

I'm definitely not a HIIT expert! LOL!

Others may be able to shed more light and their own experience on this ...

Keep walking is what I say, but then regular readers to the Forum probably already knew I'd say something like that  

All the best Jan

I used to do HIIT in a stationary bike at home started with 30 seconds fast and one minute slow. But now just run with my husband standing in the same place. I now can do one minute fast and one slow and repeat a few times. I do it at least 3 times per week after doing some stretching and calisthenics. Try to at least walk 15 minutes at a park behind my house almost everyday. Exercise helps a lot to keep fit, strong, healthy and my glucose numbers stay on the safe side.

Interesting how the mainstream is "discovering" things that leading edge researchers have known for ages. Hopefully next they'll be "discovering" low carb.