How exercise in old age prevents the immune system from declining

[Rooster1]

Doing lots of exercise in older age can prevent the immune system from declining and protect people against infections, scientists say.

They followed 125 long-distance cyclists, some now in their 80s, and found they had the immune systems of 20-year-olds.

One elderly cyclist said he had the body fat of a 19-year-old

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-43308729

 

[Drago]

One elderly cyclist said he had the body fat of a 19-year-old

I've seen some pretty fat 19 years olds.

 

[gaijintendo]

I believe "all out" efforts suppress your immune system in the short term. But i guess there must be longer term benefits for this "exercise".

I have the body of a 19 year old too. An 19 year old golden retriever. Very lumpy. Need pushed into cars. Fart a lot. Not much else.

 

[Ian H]

Prof Lazarus, known to some of us as 'Namron', has been lecturing long-distance cyclists on nutrition for years. He's run a least a couple of pieces of research along similar lines, mostly using AUK members as guinea pigs.

 

[GuyBoden]

Here are the facts, not the Media News Mass Entertainment perspective:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/jphysiol.2014.282863/full

 

[Milzy]

I believe "all out" efforts suppress your immune system in the short term. But i guess there must be longer term benefits for this "exercise".

I have the body of a 19 year old too. An 19 year old golden retriever. Very lumpy. Need pushed into cars. Fart a lot. Not much else.

True, after an all out effort I’ll get some kind of cold or virus.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I believe "all out" efforts suppress your immune system in the short term. But i guess there must be longer term benefits for this "exercise".

I have the body of a 19 year old too. An 19 year old golden retriever. Very lumpy. Need pushed into cars. Fart a lot. Not much else.

This wasn't about all out efforts. More about the volume of exercise.

 

[GuyBoden]

Here are the facts, not the Media News Mass Entertainment perspective:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1113/jphysiol.2014.282863/full

[QUOTE 5176361, member: 43827"]Can you do a one page synopsis?

Otherwise I'll stick with the MNME perspective.[/QUOTE]

Beware of media headlines and sound bites, they don't convey the whole picture, and are prone to distort the results of good science research for the sake of attention grabbing.

If your don't want to read the whole of the scientific results, just read the conclusion then:

"Conclusion

This study has characterised the physiological phenotype of a group of highly active, non-elite, older athletes, who we contend represent a model of inherent healthy human ageing. Despite studying a large number and diverse range of indices, it was not possible to identify a physiological marker that could be used to reliably predict the age of a given individual. Rather, we have found that the relationship between chronological age and most functions is complex, as is highlighted by the wide range of ages accommodated in any given bandwidth of function. The biological ageing process, even when free from confounding factors, is thus likely to be highly individualistic. Our results provide further support for the need for comprehensive longitudinal studies of human ageing using appropriate cohorts and taking physical activity into account, if the relationship between age and physiological function is to be elucidated and reliable biomarkers of ageing obtained.
"

 

[Banjo]

I've seen some pretty fat 19 years olds.

You don t see many obese 80 year olds though.

 

[ColinJ]

You don t see many obese 80 year olds though.

Probably because they don't get out much?

My dad was 83 when he died and he was certainly pretty overweight by then. He had been stuck in bed for a year, but up until his last few weeks he ate as if he were still mobile.

 

[ColinJ]

[QUOTE 5176603, member: 9609"]anyone got a synopsis of the conclusion ?[/QUOTE]
KEEP ON RIDING!

 

[Ming the Merciless]

A ride a day keeps the doctor away.

 

[ColinJ]

[QUOTE 5176628, member: 9609"]sounds good to me

not often in my life I get told that what I'm doing is good for my health.[/QUOTE]
Here's a nice example ... A favourite Scottish great uncle of mine just back from a ride.

He was in his 80s when that picture was taken, and he lived well into his 90s.

 

[Mr Celine]

I believe "all out" efforts suppress your immune system in the short term. But i guess there must be longer term benefits for this "exercise".

For those of us with auto-immune conditions suppressing the immune system is a good thing.

 

[ColinJ]

[QUOTE 5176650, member: 9609"]my mothers still riding at 82, and may have managed 2000 mile last year. although there are no audaxs involved, most rides are 2 or 3 mile a couple of times a day.[/QUOTE]
Good on her!

I hope to still be cycling at that age, but if the hills round here start to get too much for me then I will either move to somewhere less hilly or buy an e-bike.

My gt-uncle cycled until his sense of balance started to let him down. I would switch to a trike if I had that problem.