The Life Extension Institute has historically been at the forefront of promoting health and longevity. Throughout human history, survival necessitated physical activity. Today, a general lack of physical activity directly contributes to many chronic diseases and reduces life expectancy by about as much as smoking or obesity. Being physically active is one of the most important things you can do for your health.
Everyone, regardless of age, gender, and ability, can benefit from regular exercise. Accordingly, the evidence linking better cardiorespiratory fitness to improved health and longevity is overwhelming. In fact, maintaining cardiorespiratory fitness reduces risk of chronic diseases and death more than any pharmaceutical drug. Physical activity can include a variety of enjoyable activities such as dancing, gardening, sightseeing, and other simple alternatives to sedentary behavior.
Exercise: A Cornerstone of Longevity
Exercise, including aerobics, strength or resistance training, stretching, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), is one of the most powerful anti-aging strategies there is.
Wendy Suzuki: The brain-changing benefits of exercise | TED
Types of Exercise
- Aerobic Exercise: Rhythmic and prolonged physical activity that elevates the heart and breathing rates. Examples include fast walking, running, bicycling, and swimming.
- Muscle-Strengthening Exercise: Involves forceful muscle contraction against external resistance, increasing muscle strength, size, and endurance, and preventing sarcopenia.
- Flexibility Exercises: Entail slow and steady stretching of muscle groups, held for 10 to 60 seconds without jerking or bouncing.
- Balance Exercises: May help individuals with awareness of motion and relative position problems and may also help prevent falls.
Telomeres and Exercise
Recent research has examined how different methods of exercise training affect various aspects of cellular biology, including telomerase activity and telomere length. Telomeres are structural components at the end of chromosomes that play a role in cellular aging and regeneration. Shorter telomeres are associated with cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes, as well as a reduced life expectancy.
Research indicates telomeres may shorten in a progressive, age-related manner, but telomerase activity decreases steadily from age 4 to 39. After age 40, approximately 65% of people have low but stable telomerase activity levels, while approximately 35% have no detectable activity levels. Other observational studies suggest higher levels of physical activity are associated with longer telomeres, particularly in older individuals.
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In one study, 124 healthy, previously inactive men were randomized into an aerobic endurance exercise group, a high-intensity interval group, a resistance training group, or a control group that did not exercise. Each intervention involved three 45-minute training sessions per week for six months. VO2max was increased by all three training methods. Telomerase activity was up-regulated two- to three-fold in the endurance and interval training groups, but not the resistance group.
Dietary Considerations
Consuming a carbohydrate-containing meal four to six hours before exercise ensures adequate reserves of glycogen (stored carbohydrate energy) in the muscle and liver. Post-exercise nutrition is important to help replenish glycogen stores and repair muscle tissue damaged during exercise.
Supplements and Exercise
- Caffeine: Studies suggest caffeine ingested before or during exercise enhances endurance exercise performance.
- Creatine: In older adults, creatine supplementation, with or without resistance exercise, enhanced muscle strength and mass, increased bone strength, and slowed the rate of sarcopenia.
- L-carnitine: Studies have demonstrated that L-carnitine supplementation can improve exercise performance and recovery.
- Vitamin D: Research also suggests vitamin D may have performance-enhancing effects.
Haleon Pain Management Institute in South Africa
Recognising this complexity, Haleon, the global leader in consumer health, has launched the Haleon Pain Management Institute (HPMI) in South Africa. The platform seeks to transform the way pain is understood, treated, and discussed in the country. The HPMI aims to tackle pain holistically through three core pillars:
- Patient Knowledge and Support - Empowering patients with tools and stories that build understanding to manage pain with confidence.
- Science and Research - Filling critical data gaps, especially across African settings, where pain is often under-recognised.
- Education and Skills Development - Equipping HCPs with accessible, practical tools to deliver empathetic and effective pain care.
South Africa is the second African market to launch the institute this year, following its successful introduction in Kenya at the end of May. Over the past year, Haleon has also introduced the institute in the UAE, Pakistan, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Additional Benefits of Physical Activity
Physical activity can prevent cognitive decline in older adults and reduce the risk of neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease. Exercise improves cognitive health by enhancing the transmission of information between nerve cells. Exercise increases insulin sensitivity, helps control blood glucose levels, and improves cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure and elevated blood fats.
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A detailed analysis of 264 published studies, which included nearly 20,000 participants, found that exercise and physical activity is associated with modest improvements in pain, functional capacity, and quality of life.
Table 1: Recommended Physical Activity Levels
| Age Group | Recommended Activity |
|---|---|
| Adults | 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week |
| Older Adults | 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, or as much as their health will allow |
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