Signs of aging can be reversed with simple exercise

Scientists have identified a new sign of biological aging that could be reversed with simple exercise.

While most of us think of aging as an inevitable process of life, some scientists are beginning to think of it as a disease that can be treated, or at least delayed.

Riekert Houtkooper, Professor of Translational Metabolism at the University Medical Center Amsterdam, said: “The idea that aging could be reversed was long thought to be science fiction, but this discovery shows that the process of aging can be reversed. “I’ve come to understand more about it,” he said. statement.

As we age, certain molecules begin to accumulate within our cells and contribute to their gradual loss. These molecules represent attractive targets for treating age-related diseases and aging in general. The only problem is that most of the time we don’t know what they are.

In a study published in a journal natural agingHoutkooper and colleagues at the University of Amsterdam set out to discover one of the molecules associated with aging and a potential way to reverse its accumulation.

“Aging biomarkers are important because they help track the effectiveness of anti-aging treatments,” Hout-Cooper said. newsweek. “Furthermore, they provide insight into the mechanisms of aging, helping us understand the causes of aging and develop new treatments.”

The research team focused on a large group of fatty and waxy molecules called lipids that play a variety of roles around the body. For example, they help absorb vitamins, move and store energy, and form the basis of cell membranes that separate the interior of a cell from its surroundings.

In fact, previous studies in animals have shown that concentrations of certain lipids can also influence age-related diseases and longevity.

The problem is that there are hundreds of different lipids in our bodies, making it difficult to know which ones are responsible for age-related decline.

To pinpoint the target, the researchers compared the concentrations of more than 1,200 unique lipids in the bodies of old and young mice. And among these hundreds of lipids, one molecule stood out as the clear culprit in aging mice. It is bis(monoacylglycerol) phosphate, or BMP.

BMPs have previously been linked to a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, cell disorders, and cancer, so the fact that they were present at high concentrations in aging mice was a promising sign. But the research team needed to demonstrate this link in humans.

To address this, the team collected muscle biopsies from approximately 50 young and old participants and compared the levels of this BMP lipid within their cells.

“Surprisingly, our assessment of how individual BMP species change with age revealed strong accumulation of BMPs in both men and women,” the authors wrote. ing.

Finally, the team wanted to see if this BMP buildup could be reversed. To do so, they looked at a cohort of 12 healthy postmenopausal women who were overweight and had a sedentary lifestyle. The woman was given her one of three activity plans for four days. An exercise therapy where you sit for 13 hours and exercise for 1 hour. The other is an intermediate regime of sitting for 9 hours, standing for 3 hours, and walking for 2 hours a day.

Muscle biopsies were collected on day 5 of each intervention and analyzed for BMP.

After just four days of moderate to vigorous exercise, the women’s BMP levels significantly decreased. These reductions were also dose-dependent, meaning that the intermediate therapy still resulted in a reduction in her BMP levels, albeit by a smaller amount.

“These results are an important new step in understanding the aging process,” Hout-Cooper said.

However, the results are by no means the final answer. “We need to understand how BMPs contribute to aging, how BMP accumulation affects the aging process, and whether this is only affected by exercise or whether there are other factors that affect BMP levels. We plan to conduct a follow-up study to better understand if there is a way to do this,” Hout-Cooper said.

Researchers say that due to the small number of participants in the study, larger studies are needed to confirm the results. Still, their findings provide an exciting avenue for future research in anti-aging treatments.

“Everyone says ‘aging is part of aging,’ but in reality it doesn’t have to be that way,” Georges Janssens, lead author of the study and an assistant professor at the University of Amsterdam Medical Center, said in a statement. “By better understanding the aging process, we can also consider new methods of intervention.”

But while “anti-aging drugs” may be exciting, these results also suggest that the best anti-aging drug may be our lifestyle.

“There is no silver bullet to treat aging or age-related diseases. The main way to slow the signs of aging is to stay physically active,” Hout-Cooper said. And when it comes to food intake, be moderate, ideally with a varied diet. ”

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