You only need to look at senior citizens who run, next to those who don’t, and you can see the difference in the ageing process.
But a new study has proven regular aerobic activities like running, improve long term mobility.
A new study by the university of Colorado Boulder and Humboldt state university has shown the older we get, the more important it is to keep running.
The key finding of the study is that “running keeps you younger in terms of energy efficiency” according to CU Builder associate professor Rodger Kram of the department of integrative physiology, a co-author of the new study.
The study carried out on 30 senior citizens – those over 69- found older adults who regularly participate in highly aerobic activities – like running have a lower metabolic cost of walking than older, sedentary adults.
It has been known for a long time that as people age their maximum aerobic capacity or ‘horsepower’ declines, and that is true for runners as well, “ explains Humboldt state professor Justus Ortega. “What’s new here is we have found that old runners maintain their fuel economy.”
So consistently running for exercise seems to slow the ageing process and gives us more mobility, improving independence and quality of life as we age.
The reason is thought to lie in the mitochondria of cells, as they generate chemical energy that powers our muscle fibres to help us stay mobile, but the researchers say more study is needed to confirm it.
