King's researchers show that a lifetime of regular exercise slows down ageing

Researchers from the Centre for Human & Applied Physiological Sciences (CHAPS) in the School of Basic & Medical Biosciences have shown that staying active keeps the body young and healthy.

In collaboration with the University of Birmingham, researchers examined the health of older adults who regularly exercised during most of their adult lives and the impact this had on aging. The research findings are detailed in two papers published in Aging Cell and are the result of an ongoing joint study by the two universities, funded by the BUPA foundation.

The study involved a group of 125 amateur cyclists, aged 55-79, who underwent a series of laboratory tests. Participant results were compared to another group aged 55-79 who did not regularly exercise and a group of healthy young adults aged 20-36.

Results showed that there was no loss of muscle mass and strength in the cycling group and their body fat or cholesterol levels did not increase with age.

The study also revealed that regular exercise had a positive effect on the immune system. As people age, an organ called the thymus begins to shrink and produce less T cells (a type of the body’s defensive immunity cells). The regular cyclist group had thymuses that were similar in size to the young adult cohort and produced similar levels of T cells.

Professor Stephen Harridge, Head of CHAPS, said: “The findings emphasise the fact that the cyclists do not exercise because they are healthy, but that they are healthy because they have been exercising for such a large proportion of their lives. Their bodies have been allowed to age optimally, free from the problems usually caused by inactivity. Remove the activity and their health would likely deteriorate.”

This research has been widely covered in the media and featured on BBC News 08.03.2018

King’s has launched a new BSc in Sports & Exercise Sciences which will provide scientific foundations of human performance and exercise, alongside an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms, treatment and prevention of disease.

The two papers are:

• Pollock et al (2018). ‘Properties of the vastus lateralis muscle in relation to age and physiological function in master cyclists aged 55 – 79 years’.
• Duggal et al (2018). ‘Major features of Immunesenescence, including Thymic atrophy, are ameliorated by high levels of physical activity in adulthood.’