Exercise-the Fountain of Youth?

By Cathy Feiseler, MD

Every day a patient makes a comment about the woes of getting older, especially when dealing with an injury. I know of only one alternative to aging and it is not a good option for anyone. For centuries, explorers have searched for the fountain of youth; in times of old, this was by land and by sea. Now, it is through surgery, cosmetics and drugs that a false fountain is found.

Aging affects many facets of exercise. As a person ages, there is a decrease in maximal heart rate, maximal cardiac output, maximal lung capacity, maximal oxygen uptake, strength, flexibility, lean body mass (muscle) and resting metabolic rate. There is a 9-15% reduction in VO2 max per decade over the age of 25 years in sedentary adults. (VO2max is the body's oxygen consumption near the point of exhaustion and the capacity to take in oxygen remains at a steady level despite further increases in workload.) Maximal heart rate decreases by 6-10 beats per minute each decade over the age of 25 years. The average sedentary adult loses 5-7 pounds of muscle every decade; there is an accompanying 2-5% decrease in resting metabolic rate during this time. Additionally, with aging comes a loss in bone mineral density.

Enough of the bad news; exercise is as close as most of us will ever come to a fountain of youth. The initiation of prolonged endurance exercise results in a 10-30% increase in VO2 max; chronic exercise started earlier in life significantly slows the rate of decrease of VO2 max with aging. Exercise decreases blood pressure with activity and at rest. Chronic exercise slows the age-related decrease in metabolic rate at rest. Strength training will increase muscle strength and size, while decreasing the percentage of body fat and increasing bone density. Stretching will improve the age-related decrease in flexibility.

As we get older, we need to pay more attention to stretching and strengthening in conjunction with running. Years of running, along with age-related changes, could create a number of muscle and tendon problems; chronic hamstring strains and Achilles tendinitis are common maladies in middle-aged and older runners. Attention to flexibility and strengthening exercises will aid in the prevention of these injuries.

Recovery also becomes a very important training factor as we age. It takes longer to recover from hard workouts at age 45 than at age 25. Failure to completely recover from a workout or race not only increases the risk of injury, but also has a negative impact on training. Improvement occurs through recovery from a hard workout; inadequate recovery causes continued muscle breakdown and slowing times. This often prompts the athlete to increase training, resulting in a continuing downhill spiral. Time off instead of more training is the answer to this problem. You may consider cross training as part of the recovery process. Regularly scheduled time off from running as we age will increase the likelihood of a long running career.

So how are we supposed to add more exercise to an already busy schedule? As little as 20 minutes of strength training twice a week can work wonders. One exercise involving each of the major muscle groups (biceps, triceps, abdominal muscles, lower back muscles, quadriceps, hamstrings, calf muscles and shin muscles) will suffice.

Create ways to add stretching to your daily routine. If you are working at a desk, you can stretch while talking on the phone. Pull out a desk drawer and prop your foot on it; lean over the leg and hold for 20-30 seconds as you stretch your hamstrings. In time, you will come up with numerous stretches that can be performed while you are busy with other activities.

Appropriate diet and adequate rest are important components of training; too often we are pulled in so many directions that sleep is sacrificed and meals (I use that term loosely) are eaten on the run. Many of us did these things in college for much different reasons, and we seemed to perform well. That is not the case later in life. Stress is not avoidable; learn to adjust to it, especially in regard to training. An unscheduled day off may save you from an injury that could sideline you for an extended period of time. An easy run in lieu of an interval workout may help deal with stress instead of creating stress.

So what is the bottom line? Don't grow old gracefully; fight it tooth and nail through exercise. Be aware of changes that come with aging and adjust your training accordingly.
Most of all, have fun!