{"id":571611,"date":"2026-07-06T13:39:18","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T13:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/571611\/"},"modified":"2026-07-06T13:39:18","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T13:39:18","slug":"14-hallmarks-of-ageing-regular-exercise-helps-to-slow-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/571611\/","title":{"rendered":"14 Hallmarks Of Ageing Regular Exercise Helps To Slow Down"},"content":{"rendered":"

You probably already know that exercise<\/a> can help us to live longer<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Research has shown<\/a> that walking 7,000 steps a day can lead to a 47% risk reduction in all-cause mortality, while strength training has been linked to<\/a> up to four years of extra life.<\/p>\n

In fact, the Mayo Clinic stated<\/a> that strength training could \u201cslow and, in many cases, reverse the changes in muscle fibres associated with ageing\u201d.<\/p>\n

But why exactly does that happen? And what do we mean when we talk about exercise \u201creversing\u201d or \u201cslowing\u201d ageing?<\/p>\n

A paper published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science<\/a> said: \u201cCurrent evidence suggests that exercise favorably modulates all 14 hallmarks of ageing.\u201d <\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what those markers are, as well as how exercise improves them:<\/p>\n

1) Genome instability<\/strong><\/p>\n

As we get older, our DNA is more likely<\/a> to mutate, sustain damage, and lose the ability to repair itself.<\/p>\n

This amounts to \u201cgenome instability\u201d, which has been described in some research<\/a> as the main driver of physical ageing.<\/p>\n

But, the paper reads<\/a>, regular physical activity \u201cappears capable of promoting genome stability by reducing DNA damage and enhancing DNA damage repair\u201d.<\/p>\n

2) Telomere shrinking or loss (attrition)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our telomeres \u2013 DNA structures that humans have at the ends of our chromosomes<\/a>, and which keep our cells working better for longer \u2013 tend to shrink when we age. <\/p>\n

Telomeres have been compared to<\/a> \u201cthe protective plastic caps at the end of shoelaces\u201d. Shorter telomeres are associated with<\/a> a shorter life.<\/p>\n

Thankfully, the review said<\/a>: \u201cExercise can also activate telomerase<\/a> [a special enzyme that maintains telomere length] and increase telomere length and thus decrease telomere attrition\u201d.<\/p>\n

3) Less epigenetic regulation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Epigenetic factors<\/a> are those that seem to be able to switch certain genes on or off without changing a person\u2019s actual DNA. Those genes could be beneficial or harmful to someone\u2019s health.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemarkably, recent evidence suggests that changes in epigenetic information are not merely consequences but also potential drivers of mammalian ageing,\u201d the paper said<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Exercise could help our bodies to express our genes in a more beneficial way, they added.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccumulating evidence indicates that exercise-induced epigenetic modifications contribute to improved health outcomes in older adults\u201d by regulating things like our DNA \u201coff switches<\/a>\u201d (DNA methylation).<\/p>\n

4) Less effective proteostasis<\/strong><\/p>\n

Proteostasis is the short term for \u201cprotein homeostasis\u201d. It refers<\/a> to the \u201cdelicate balance between protein synthesis, folding, trafficking, and degradation, which is essential for cellular function and organismal health\u201d. <\/p>\n

As we age, that network of processes can fall out of whack, increasing our risk<\/a> of disease and, possibly, brain degeneration<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But \u201cIncreasing evidence indicates that exercise can restore proteostatic mechanisms disrupted by ageing\u201d, the review said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

5) Decreased macroautophagy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ageing well isn\u2019t just about keeping the things we want going for longer. It\u2019s also about getting rid of the stuff we don\u2019t want and preventing unwanted buildups \u2013 which is where autophagy, sometimes called the body\u2019s <\/a>\u201ccellular recycling system\u201d, comes in.<\/p>\n

Autophagy can help your cells to work more efficiently. But it slows down when we get older,<\/a> giving e.g. cancer and other diseases better odds of taking hold.<\/p>\n

\u201cSeveral studies have shown that exercise can reverse ageing- and diet-induced impairments in autophagy across various tissues,\u201d this study<\/a> stated.<\/p>\n

6) Dysregulation of nutrient-sensing signalling<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our nutrient-sensing network helps us to<\/a> recognise the nutrients in our body and tells our cells how to respond appropriately.<\/p>\n

A faulty nutrient-sensing network \u201chas emerged as a key mechanism that contributes to ageing and age-related disease,\u201d the review said<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cImportantly, exercise is capable of modulating multiple nutrient-sensing pathways, and thus exerting anti-ageing effects and promoting healthy ageing.\u201d<\/p>\n

7) Mitochondrial dysfunction<\/strong><\/p>\n

You probably learned in secondary school that mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell<\/a>. More specifically, they generate a lot of the energy our cells need to do their jobs. <\/p>\n

And \u2013 you guessed it \u2013 ageing doesn\u2019t exactly help<\/a> our mitochondria to excel.<\/p>\n

Yet \u201cIn elderly individuals, regular exercise is associated with improved mitochondrial health and enhanced physiological outcomes, including greater insulin sensitivity, superior muscle function, and elevated exercise capacity and efficiency, even when compared to older adults who engage in recommended daily [physical activity] levels but lack structured training,\u201d the paper reads<\/a>.<\/p>\n

8) Cellular senescence<\/strong><\/p>\n

Older people have more senescent cells, sometimes called \u201czombie\u201d cells<\/a>, which stop dividing and build up over time. As they accumulate in larger and larger amounts, our bodies are at greater risk<\/a> of ageing-related diseases.<\/p>\n

A process called senolysis usually clears<\/a> these \u201czombie cells\u201d away, but when we get older, that cleaning system becomes less efficient.<\/p>\n

Regular exercise seems to help lessen the burden<\/a> of senescent cells.<\/p>\n

9) Ageing-related extracellular matrix remodelling<\/strong><\/p>\n

The extracellular matrix<\/a> (ECM) is the non-cellular part of our body that supports and maintains our tissues and organs. When it\u2019s not working well, issues like arthritis<\/a> and organ fibrosis<\/a> can appear.<\/p>\n

\u201cECM remodelling is a prominent feature of ageing tissues,\u201d said the paper<\/a>. <\/p>\n

But \u201cincreasing evidence indicates that regular exercise can counteract these detrimental ECM alterations and preserve tissue structure and function\u201d.<\/p>\n

10) Stem cell decline<\/strong><\/p>\n

A decline in the regenerative<\/a> power of our stem cells \u2013 very adaptable cells<\/a> which are considered the building blocks of the body, and which can renew themselves \u2013 is considered<\/a> \u201cone of the defining hallmarks of ageing… resulting in impaired tissue maintenance and repair\u201d. <\/p>\n

However, regular<\/a> \u201cexercise has positive effects on the function of multiple types of stem cells and can promote tissue regeneration in aged organisms\u201d.<\/p>\n

11) Changes to intercellular communication<\/strong><\/p>\n

Our cells have to communicate with one another to make our body function. Changes to this communication form yet another<\/a> \u201challmark\u201d of ageing.<\/p>\n

But exercise seems to improve it. In fact, \u201cexerkines\u201d, which are secreted by tissues when we exercise<\/a>, \u201cmediate many of the systemic adaptations to exercise and play crucial roles in mitigating aging-related decline\u201d.<\/p>\n

12) Chronic inflammation<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve written before at HuffPost UK about \u201cinflammaging\u201d \u2013 a term GP Dr Suzanne Wylie told us refers to \u201cthe low-grade, chronic inflammation that develops as we age, even in the absence of obvious infection or illness\u201d. <\/p>\n

It can increase our risk of age-related disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Luckily, per the research,<\/a> \u201cAn increasing body of epidemiological research indicates that engaging in regular physical activity or exercise can reduce aging-related chronic inflammation\u201d.<\/p>\n

13) Dysbiosis<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dysbiosis \u2013 a disruption to or<\/a> imbalance in your gut\u2019s microbiome, or community of microorganisms \u2013 could become more likely<\/a> as we age.<\/p>\n

And, the review found, that might \u201ccontribute to frailty and the development of age-related conditions\u201d. <\/p>\n

Once again, though, regular exercise might make dysbiosis<\/a> less likely.<\/p>\n

14) Psychosocial changes <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAs individuals age, they often face a gradual contraction in the size and quality of their social network, increasing their vulnerability to social isolation and loneliness,\u201d the review said.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a shame, as isolation and related mental health struggles are linked to a higher risk of dementia<\/a> and even a shorter lifespan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIncreasing evidence suggests that the mental health of the elderly can be improved through exercise,\u201d though, the paper ended<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"You probably already know that exercise can help us to live longer. Research has shown that walking 7,000…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":571612,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[278],"tags":[5392,18,4152,539,525,135,19,17],"class_list":["post-571611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fitness","tag-ageing","tag-eire","tag-evergreen","tag-exercise","tag-fitness","tag-health","tag-ie","tag-ireland"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/116873315428308585","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/571611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=571611"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/571611\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/571612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=571611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=571611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=571611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}