Endurance Stay young longer with this sport

Endurance training promotes heart health and rejuvenates the cells

It has already been confirmed in various scientific studies that it is possible to stay fit and healthy through sport until old age. Especially endurance training is recommended here. It not only does good for heart health, it also rejuvenates the cells, as a study by the Hannover Medical School (MHH) shows.

Older people are much fitter today than before

On average, seniors today are more fit than ever before. A key reason for this is that it has become popular among older people to move regularly. Studies show that physical fitness keeps the heart and brain young. Sport is a way to stay younger than you are. Endurance sports seem to be particularly well suited, as a new study shows.

Endurance sport is not only good for heart health, it also promotes rejuvenation of the cells. This shows a new study, which has now been presented. (Image: Wellnhofer Designs / fotolia.com)

Endurance sports also promote well-being

A moderate, six-month personalized, endurance sports program will improve cardiovascular function parameters, particularly blood vessel elasticity and diastolic blood pressure, in women who are predominantly sedentary.

In addition, the progression of the metabolic syndrome is prevented, promoting general well-being and improving work ability.

This is shown in a recent study by the Hannover Medical School (MHH), which was presented at the 84th Annual Meeting of the German Cardiac Society (DGK) in Mannheim.

Especially women with poor physical fitness benefited

The study was carried out with the support of the Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH and the German Foundation for Heart Research.

"In terms of cell rejuvenation, especially women with poor physical fitness have benefited from moderate endurance training," said Dr. Dominik Berliner, Department of Cardiology and Angiology, MHH, according to a statement.

"For cell rejuvenation in women with better initial fitness, more intensive endurance training may be needed."

Biological age

The multidisciplinary randomized study included 291 employees of Hannover Medical School, aged 45 to 65, all participants were non-smokers and predominantly sedentary.

Participants who completed an endurance sports program of 210 minutes per week for six months were compared with a control group that remained inactive.

The primary endpoint of the "Rebirth active women" study was the change in telomere length after six months.

The telomere length is determined from mononuclear cells from the blood by means of real-time PCR and is considered a marker of cell age or biological age.

Secondary endpoints of the study were changes in maximal oxygen uptake, cardiovascular parameters, as well as measures of metabolic syndrome, general well-being, and work ability.

Six-month endurance sports program

The endurance sports program included a six-month program individually tailored by sports physicians.

"The program adherence of the training group was very good overall", reports Dr. med. Berliner.

On average, 207 ± 17 minutes per week were trained. Compared to the control group, the training group improved significantly in terms of maximum oxygen uptake, pulse wave velocity, work ability, and metabolic syndrome.

"There was also a significant increase in telomere length in the sports group, while no significant change was detectable in the control group," Dr. Berliner.

"When the subjects were classified according to their fitness status, there was a strong effect of telomere length increase in subjects with a poor initial fitness, while the training effects on the telomere length were not seen in this intensity in subjects with better initial fitness." (Ad)