As we age, our bodies degrade. Some of the latest research shows that exercise can minimize this process.

The study, published today in the journal Aging Cell, involved 125 healthy cyclists of both genders, between the ages of 55 and 79. They underwent physical testing to obtain a range of health data, whose results were then compared to those from two other healthy groups – aged 20 to 36, and 57 to 80, totaling 130 people in all – who were not physically active. Those in poor health, or adults who drank heavily, smoked or had high blood pressure, were kept from participating.

Specifically, the scientists focused on the cyclists' thigh muscle, or VL for vastus lateralis, since it figures most prominently in this physical activity. "Fibre type composition, fibre sizes, capillary density and mitochondrial protein characteristics were examined in relation to age. Our hypothesis was that in these individuals who showed similar high levels of physical activity," they wrote in their paper (using British spelling), and any age-related factors "could be ascribed to an inherent aging process not confounded by inactivity."

What they found was that bodily processes were positively affected by remaining active.

"With the exception of capillary density in males, no association between age and any other property of the VL was observed in either males or females," the paper's conclusion stated. "Overall, these data show no age-related deterioration in selected properties of the VL muscle which are relevant to aerobic function or explosive muscle power, but are more closely related to an individual's level of function irrespective of their age. The data support the view that high levels of exercise training are able to maintain many of the properties of muscle which are negatively affected by aging when it is accompanied by sedentary behaviour."

Routine exercise can help prevent deterioration of the body and the onset of life ending diseases and conditions. So what is important is not that you live to be a 100 but rather that you are up-and-about at a 100 living your life; rather that restricted to sitting in a wheel chair in a nursing home with someone feeding you each meal.

https://www.acsh.org/news/2018/03/08/your-bodys-breakdown-not-inevitable-study-indicates-12678

Color me there!!! That's my giant secret goal @James Marusek!

Exercise = health/youth/stamina.

Took me a long time to learn this, but I'm a believer.