Exercise: The Fountain of Youth at a Cellular Level

On January 5, 2023, a new study inThe Innovationreveals the profound impact of exercise on the body at a cellular level(doi:10.1016/j.xinn.2023.100380).The study, entitled “A single-cell transcriptomic atlas of exercise-induced antiinflammatory and geroprotective effects across the body,”offers a fresh view on the well-known saying, “Exercise is good for you.”

An atlas of age-, tissue-, and cell-type-specific benefits of long-term exercise.(Credit: The Innovation)

The team used young and old mice undergoing a year-long exercise program.They analyzed the changes across 14 different tissues/organs at a single-cell level.The findings were impressive.Exercise protected tissues from infection, with younger animals showing more pronounced effects.Older subjects also reaped benefits,with a significant decrease in inflammaging (chronic lowgrade inflammation linked with aging) and signs of tissue rejuvenation.The most notable improvements were in the central nervous system and systemic vasculature.

The study also found that exercise helps reset circadian rhythms through the circadian clock protein BMAL1,delaying aging and aiding recovery from infectious damage.This highlights the role of exercise in restoring the youthful circadian clock network, paving the way for further research into the relationship between exercise, aging, and immune responses across the entire organism.