Age and Exercise: Their Roles in Mitochondrial Health Over the Lifespan
Aging affects all tissues in the body, including muscle and brain, leading to a decline in function. One key area affected is the mitochondria within skeletal muscle, which are crucial for energy production. Changes in these mitochondria, such as alterations in their size, shape, and function, contribute significantly to the decline in muscle health as we age. Interestingly, not all changes can be attributed directly to aging; physical activity levels play a crucial role.
Regular physical activity has shown to counteract some of the negative changes in mitochondrial function associated with aging. This suggests that lifestyle choices could be as influential as genetic factors in maintaining muscle health into older age. The research reviewed provides a detailed look at how exercise induces beneficial adaptations in both skeletal and brain mitochondria, which could inform targeted interventions for age-related decline.
Future research directions and interventions might focus on how different types and intensities of exercise can optimize mitochondrial health and extend the healthy years of life. Understanding these relationships further can help develop personalized exercise programs that promote longevity and maintain cognitive and physical function in later years.
Article Information
Delineating the contribution of ageing and physical activity to changes in mitochondrial characteristics across the lifespan
Published in Molecular Aspects of Medicine, Matthew J-C Lee et al.
Abstract
Ageing is associated with widespread physiological changes prominent within all tissues, including skeletal muscle and the brain, which lead to a decline in physical function. To tackle the growing health and economic burdens associated with an ageing population, the concept of healthy ageing has become a major research priority. Changes in skeletal muscle mitochondrial characteristics have been suggested to make an important contribution to the reductions in skeletal muscle function with age, and age-related changes in mitochondrial content, respiratory function, morphology, and mitochondrial DNA have previously been reported. However, not all studies report changes in mitochondrial characteristics with ageing, and there is increasing evidence to suggest that physical activity (or inactivity) throughout life is a confounding factor when interpreting age-associated changes. Given that physical activity is a potent stimulus for inducing beneficial adaptations to mitochondrial characteristics, delineating the influence of physical activity on the changes in skeletal muscle that occur with age is complicated. This review aims to summarise our current understanding and knowledge gaps regarding age-related changes to mitochondrial characteristics within skeletal muscle, as well as to provide some novel insights into brain mitochondria, and to propose avenues of future research and targeted interventions. Furthermore, where possible, we incorporate discussions of the modifying effects of physical activity, exercise, and training status, to purported age-related changes in mitochondrial characteristics.
Bring preventive care to your clinic
© Longevity Artificial Intelligence. All rights reserved.