The Best Anti-Aging Remedy

There is an all-natural anti-aging remedy that will keep you looking young, give you energy and improve your vitality into your old age.  The remedy is exercise!  Today I want to show you WHY exercise is the best anti-aging treatment you can find.

Aging at the Muscular level

During our 30s we achieve our peak muscle mass.  In our late 30s we begin to gradually lose our muscle mass at a rate of 0.5-1% annually.  This age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function is known as sarcopenia.  It results in weakness, loss of endurance and a reduction in our metabolism.

The primary treatment for sarcopenia is exercise, specifically strength training using weights or resistance bands.  As we age we also produce less growth hormone, which is responsible for the development of muscle tissue.   According to ACE (American Council on Exercise), moderate-to-vigourous intensity of training is most effective for stimulating the hormone responsible for muscle growth.  Low-or-moderate intensity exercise (such as walking) is not as effective.

High-intensity resistance training increases strength and muscle mass and maintains youthful levels of energy and a more youthful appearance. 

High-intensity resistance training, also referred to as Metabolic Strength Conditioning, challenges the entire body through timed intervals with minimal rest.  High-intensity resistance training could sound daunting to anyone who hasn’t exercised.  But we need to make a note that this style of training is relative.  The key is the level of challenge that the individual is experiencing with the resistance training.  On the Perceived Exertion Chart we want to aim for a level 8 with H.I.I.T training.  Squatting up and down from a chair without stopping for 10 reps could be high-intensity for a non-active senior. 

Aging at the DNA level

DNA has areas at the ends called telomeres.  With every cell division, these telomeres are shortened and eventually become too short for the cell to divide further.  This point is called senescence.  When multiple cells in a tissue become senescent, it no longer functions properly and the tissue ages.  Ultimately, telomere length indicates cellular aging. 

Stephen Roth from the University of Maryland studies exercise and telomeres.  He says that “researchers now accept telomere length as a reliable marker of cell age.  The shorter the telomere, the functionally older and more tired the cell.”

A study done in Germany by Dr. Christian Werner, an internal-medicine resident at Saarland University Clinic in Homburg, showed some very interesting results.  When tested, the  sedentary older subjects had telomeres that were on average 40 percent shorter than in the sedentary young subjects.  This seems logical as the older subject’s cell where getting older just as they were.  But, when examining the telomeres of runners, the older subjects were only 10 percent shorter than the young runners!!

The research at Saarland University found that telomere loss was reduced by approximately 75 percent in the aging runners. According to Dr. Werner “exercise at the molecular level has an anti-aging effect.’’

In order to keep your muscles strong and your cells young, you need to exercise.  Evidence continually points to High Intensity Training as the most effective way to exercise.  The great thing about Hiit Training is that it’s quick so you can squeeze it in to your busy schedule.   It’s never too late to start.  

As Jim Rohn says “Take care of your body.  It’s the only place you have to live.”