The Physiology of Longevity: Why Is Exercise Your Most Powerful Medicine
In today’s society, the conversation around longevity is more vibrant than ever. As we are all striving to extend our lives, the focus has shifted toward preserving our health. Whether you’re just beginning your wellness journey or unsure of where to start, you’re not alone. The new “medicine” we’re all rediscovering is simple, powerful, and transformative – it’s exercise.
Why the hype around longevity now?
Longevity isn’t another trend that will come and go. It’s where advancements in science, understanding preventive health and shared goals of living longer and free from chronic illness combine. With genetic research expanding, smarter and faster diagnostics, and individualised medical care, we are enabling us to manage and prevent disease entirely.
The hype is because of the tools we are using:
- Genetic research – understanding how we age and what we are predisposed to
- Smarter diagnostics – identifying health problems earlier
- Patient-centred care – health plans tailored to unique biology
Previously, we favoured reactive healthcare through dosing medication, where we now are seeing a large shift toward preventative patient-centred models. We are no longer waiting to get sick; we are controlling our health before we get there, living disease-free with more energy to enjoy more of life.
Exercise – the unsung hero of longevity
As our world continues to advance with groundbreaking health technology aimed at achieving longevity, we often overlook one of our most powerful tools – exercise. This tool is beyond aesthetic and weight loss; regular exercise improves and manages your body’s cells, the building blocks to a longer, healthier life free from illness. Moving your body in the correct way acts as a regular dose of medicine we all long for – increasing your cardiovascular function, sharpening cognitive performance, reducing inflammation, and strengthening the immune system. The individualised and tech-driven future of longevity is actually quite simple and effective – move your body, often and with intention, to achieve a transformative habit that opens doors to a healthier, longer life.
Boosting cell health
As we age, we have natural processes that are inevitable. Telomeres are tiny caps on our DNA which help our cells to divide and our mitochondria – the parts of our cells that make energy work better. However, over time, these slowly reduce with ageing and disease (Werner et al., 2019). Through regular exercise, these processes are slowed, meaning more energy and less damage from stress inside our cells (Garber, 2016).
Metabolism and disease prevention
Insulin sensitivity is boosted through regular exercise, allowing blood sugar levels to be steady and reducing risks such as type 2 diabetes (Kim et al., 2016). Our cholesterol levels are also improved, protecting the heart and reducing heart comorbidities by reducing the “bad” LDL and raising the “good” HDL (Severinsen & Pedersen, 2020).
Heart and lung health
By moving regularly, our heart stays strong, training the heart muscle to pump blood around the body with each beat (Klabunde, 2023). Lung function is also managed as our body is able to use oxygen more efficiently, giving the cells what they require to work (Fan et al., 2024).
Cognitive function and neuroplasticity
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key protein in neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to form new neural pathways) and cognitive resilience (Szuhany et al., 2015). Regular movement has been proven to stimulate these proteins as well as increase blood flow to the brain, allowing for appropriate levels of oxygen and nutrition to fuel our memory and mental clarity (Wu et al., 2024).
Muscle strength and tolerance
Weight-bearing activities such as lifting weights, applies load to our bones, which keep them strong and healthy. This type of exercise also prevents muscle loss as we age, maintains our independence for longer and reduces the risk of falls (Zhou et al., 2022).
Immune system
Our immune system works more efficiently when we limit inflammation and regulate homeostasis, key to balancing your body’s defences to help protect from illness and age-related disease. Moderate and regular exercise again is the most reliable tool used to achieve (Nieman & Wentz, 2019).
“What should I do? I haven’t thought about my health until now”
Many people become overwhelmed and feel it is too late to start or attempt to fix anything. Though with research, we know it is never too late to improve, as your body is remarkably adaptable. The smallest amount of exercise can bring health benefits when applied appropriately with professional help. Experts, such as a clinical exercise physiologist, can help plan and design safe programs that suit you and your lifestyle for long-term health benefits.
Longevity – it’s not just a trend, it’s real-life
Longevity is shifting to a practical reality for all. While we continue to improve our health technologies, the functional principles are what matter most to achieving our desired goal of living longer and healthier: nutrition, sleep, stress management, and regular exercise. Among these, exercises designed specifically for you are one of the easiest and most powerful ways to help you achieve longevity.
References
Fan, J., Liu, J., He, Z., Yu, C., & Zuo, L. (2024). Exercise and pulmonary health: Emerging mechanisms and interventions. Translational Medicine Advances, 2(1), 51–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tma.2024.01.008
Garber, C. E. (2016). Mitochondrial adaptations to exercise: Implications for health and performance. Sports Medicine, 46(1), 23–32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0393-1
Kim, S. H., Abbasi, F., & Reaven, G. M. (2016). Impact of exercise training on insulin resistance and associated cardiovascular risk factors. Diabetes & Metabolism Journal, 40(4), 253–261. https://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2016.40.4.253
Klabunde, R. E. (2023). Cardiovascular physiology concepts (3rd ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Nieman, D. C., & Wentz, L. M. (2019). The compelling link between physical activity and the body’s defence system. Journal of Sport and Health Science, 8(3), 201–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2018.09.009
Severinsen, M. C. K., & Pedersen, B. K. (2020). Muscle–organ crosstalk: The emerging roles of myokines. Endocrine Reviews, 41(4), 594–609. https://doi.org/10.1210/endrev/bnaa016
Szuhany, K. L., Bugatti, M., & Otto, M. W. (2015). A meta-analytic review of the effects of exercise on brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 60, 56–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2014.10.003
Werner, C., Furster, T., Widmann, T., Pöss, J., Roggia, C., Hanhoun, M., Scharhag, J., & Böhm, M. (2019). Physical exercise prevents cellular senescence in circulating leukocytes and in the vessel wall. Circulation, 120(24), 2438–2447. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.861005
Wu, Y., Guo, Y., Li, Y., & Xu, M. (2024). Exercise and cognitive health: The role of cerebral blood flow and neurovascular coupling. Frontiers in Neurology, 15, 1505879. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2024.1505879
Zhou, Z., Tan, S. L., Hu, J., & Wang, C. (2022). Resistance training for sarcopenia and osteoporosis in older adults: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 52(5), 1071–1090. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01552-4
