Incredible Flying Nonagenarian: The Power of Exercise in Old Age

In summary, Taivassalo says that despite the fact that we may start to lose muscle mass and endurance as we age, there is no evidence to suggest that mitochondrial decay is a significant cause of these losses. Exercise is still a powerful tool for combating the effects of aging, and can help add years to a person's life.
  • #1
Astronuc
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The Incredible Flying Nonagenarian
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/magazine/28athletes-t.html

. . . . (Because muscle cells require so much energy, they’re hit hard when mitochondria go down.) Some researchers now see aging itself as a kind of mitochondrial disease. Defective mitochondria appear as we get older, and these researchers say that they rob us of endurance, strength and function. There’s evidence that for young patients with mitochondrial disease, exercise is a potent tool, slowing the symptoms. If that’s true, then exercise could also potentially be a kind of elixir of youth, combating the ravages of aging far more than we thought.
. . . .
You don’t have to be an athlete to notice how ruthlessly age hunts and how programmed the toll seems to be. We start losing wind in our 40s and muscle tone in our 50s. Things go downhill slowly until around age 75, when something alarming tends to happen.
. . . .
EXERCISE HAS BEEN shown to add between six and seven years to a life span (and improve the quality of life in countless ways). Any doctor who didn’t recommend exercise would be immediately suspect. But for most seniors, that prescription is likely to be something like a daily walk or Aquafit. . . . .
Exercise (and diet) is important to good health, especially later in life.
 
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  • #2
Astronuc said:
The Incredible Flying Nonagenarian
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/magazine/28athletes-t.html

Exercise (and diet) is important to good health, especially later in life.

Just ran across this. Wow. I tell everyone that I am going to live to 150 :wink: and people like this give me encouragement.
 
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  • #3
HOLY ****! :bugeye:
 
  • #4
she won't live forever, but at least she has a chance of dying healthy.
 
  • #5
In a muscle sample of a person over the age of 65, you would expect to see at least a couple of fibers with some mitochondrial defects. But in around 400 muscle fibers examined, Taivassalo said, “we didn’t see a single fiber that had any evidence” of mitochondrial decay. “It’s remarkable,” she added.
 

1. What is the "Incredible Flying Nonagenarian" study about?

The "Incredible Flying Nonagenarian" study is a scientific research project that examines the effects of exercise on elderly individuals, specifically those over the age of 90.

2. Why is exercise important for older adults?

Exercise is important for older adults because it can help maintain physical and mental health, improve mobility and balance, and prevent or delay the onset of chronic diseases and disabilities.

3. How was the "Incredible Flying Nonagenarian" study conducted?

The study was conducted by having a group of nonagenarians (individuals in their 90s) participate in a structured exercise program for a certain period of time, while another group did not engage in regular exercise. The physical and cognitive abilities of both groups were then compared.

4. What were the results of the study?

The results of the study showed that the nonagenarians who participated in the exercise program had better physical and cognitive abilities compared to those who did not exercise. They also had a lower risk of developing chronic diseases and disabilities.

5. What are the practical implications of the "Incredible Flying Nonagenarian" study?

The study suggests that regular exercise can have significant benefits for older adults, and incorporating physical activity into daily routines can help maintain overall health and quality of life in old age.

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