Telomeres (following)

(see previous parts in "Telomeres" section)

What’s more important than looking fabulous? Staying alive and healthy longer: a long healthy life is accomplished best by those who become and stay fit. Why am I saying this? Because people who exercise vigorously three hours a week are biologically nine years younger than people who exercise less than fifteen minutes a week. Will all the results in between (90 min. a week = 4 yrs advantage).

How does it happen? Repetitive form of exercise leads to an adaptive response. The body begins to build new capillaries, it’s better able to take in and deliver oxygen to our body and another thing that happens is the release of human growth hormone (HGH). Here’s the trick: higher levels of HGH correlate with longer telomeres, that’s why people who regularly exercise look younger. Now you know the reason.

But aerobic exercise is insufficient, unless it’s high-intensity aerobic, because it doesn’t result in the same growth-hormone production as intense physical work do. But doesn’t exercise increase the production of oxidation in our bodies? Yes, it does, and oxidation is the primary toxin to the telomere. It’s just apparently a contradiction. Because our body fights oxidation pretty well when it’s young: the “problem”, so to speak, is when we get old. And why is it not a real problem? Simply because there are plenty of antioxidant supplements around. So you can get the benefits of exercise, benefiting your telomeres as well, regardless of your age.

So, this is my hint: exercise your body, but do NOT stress it. Find your balance avoiding extreme sports: marathons, triathlons, long-distance cycling, violent sports (football, boxing) are activities that will shorten your life span. Exercise too little is damaging (as well as not exercising at all) and is equally damaging exercising too much.

A very damaging conception is that elderly should avoid training regularly (the usual advice doctors give are long, easy walks at best): it’a never too late. On the contrary ,balance is the key, according to your age, because HGH will be produced anyway. Yoga and meditation are completely different matters: they are benefiting your telomeres but of course cannot be considered a form of exercise. I’ll write about them next time.

In the end: what’s the PERFECT exercise for your telomeres? Interval training and resistance training (don’t worry: they’re practiced in all the gyms).

….Always humble,

Angiolino