Learn how strength training, balance work, and daily movement outperform drugs for longevity, plus the best exercise strategies to stay strong and independent.
The remarkable plasticity of mitochondria allows them to adjust their volume, structure, and capacity under conditions such as exercise, which is beneficial for or improves metabolic health in people with various diseases and/or advanced age. Mitochondria exist within muscle as a functional network maintained through dynamic processes of biogenesis and fusion and balanced by opposing processes of fission and mitophagy. A greater understanding of the mechanisms of mitochondrial turnover in muscle could offer potential therapeutic targets for advancing health and longevity in our aging populations. Physical exercise is considered a non-pharmacological strategy for protecting mitochondrial health. Exercise regulates mitochondrial quality control, allowing for the repair or elimination of damaged mitochondria and the synthesis of new ones, thereby restoring metabolic health. Mitochondria are involved in disuse-induced muscle atrophy, the aging phenotype, lysosomal and mitochondrial DNA diseases, and how exercise alone or as adjunctive therapy can improve pathophysiology by repairing and restoring mitochondria. Physical training leads to functional adaptations that improve brain health, and current literature strongly suggests that mitochondrial remodeling plays a vital role in these positive adaptations. In populations with chronic diseases where mitochondrial dysfunction is involved, an individualized exercise prescription should be crucial for the “metabolic rehabilitation” of many patients.
Drawing on the lessons learned from elite athletes (the perfect human machines), it is possible to translate and apply multiple concepts to improve the health of populations with chronic diseases. Exercise induces proteome remodeling that depends on mitochondrial dynamics and delays an age-related decline in mitochondrial connectivity and physical fitness. AMPK, a metabolic regulator that detects low energy availability and controls mitochondrial dynamics, is necessary for exercise to maintain fitness with age and may recapitulate this benefit of exercise. The mitochondrial dynamics cycle is identified as an essential mediator of exercise responsiveness and an entry point for interventions to maintain muscle function during aging.
This review analyzes the capacity of physical exercise to restore glycemic balance, which is compromised in patients with type 2 diabetes. We can also ask whether physical exercise might contribute to the remission of type 2 diabetes. Exercise reduces visceral adipose tissue and ectopic lipids, which helps reduce insulin resistance. Furthermore, by improving insulin sensitivity, it promotes glucose uptake in peripheral tissues and participates in glucose homeostasis, as measured by HbA1c control. The reduction of hyperglycemia could restore beta-cell function and mass. Cytokines secreted in response to physical exercise could mediate the positive role of physical exertion.
One expression concerning health is Our Death Begins In the Legs. Possibly why walking can have such a huge impact on the Quality of our overall lives. Quality allowing Freedom, Independence in our range, movement and abilities. Quality over Quantity. Very doubtful many would care for a Darth Vader, more machine than man existence. Held prison in bed basically keeping machines alive.
Of course exercise engaging all of our body is great too, it's just because the legs and butt muscles are the largest muscle groups in our body and keeping them tip top as much and long as possible will send health improvement signals to all the muscles in our body. Stroke victims have shown improvements by exercising the unaffected arm with benefits showing up in the stroke affected arm whether it was able to engage or not.
Another health expression is; We Are As Young As Our Spine. This may be due to how muscle exercises and stretching exercises involving legs and spine open up the arteries, and veins in different ways. Keep them supple and flexible. As such would be a no brainer each are likely to improve Blood Pressure and Circulation for most.
It would seem the biggest take away for all the efforts expressed in this article are, they improve over all health builders, Dis-Ease preventors, extended Life Enhancers affording us an ability to enjoy our lives fully.
And most important, exercise does not have unpleasant side effects drugs have! I am now NOT taking any prescribed drugs despite type 2 diabetes, heart and cancer, just vitamins, minerals, herbs all organic sourced of course, no manufactured, chemical laced foods or medications for me! After all, RoundUp caused my cancer to begin with! Organic, no sugar, high fruitcose took me from 3 months to remission 24 years ago. Since my second stupid fall when I fratured 3 vertabrae in the lumbar region, I am more limited, cannot do many exercises. BUT, I now look where my feet are going! I also find ways to force myself to move more like take the long way to my destination, make two trips to get what one would do. I also credit my rescue cats for making me move more. 3 cats equal 5 litter boxes, more walking from one to another, bending and stooping! More trips to the door, letting them out and in and 4 trips to the kitchen to fix their food since I feed 4 time a day to avoid upchucking from over eating, gulping down too much at a time. I also have learned to pace myself, resting in between bouts of housework. Just takes longer to get things done! Whatever, I have learned that when I sit for long, I am stiffer, balance is poorer and it takes longer to get things done, so I make myself get up and move even when I do not feel like it! When you live alone, there is no one else to do things for you, you have to depend on yourself! And when the weather is bad, can't get outside I just walk around every room in the house 2 or 3 times! I have a large fireplace, 8' wide in the center of entry, living, dining rooms and take several trips around it every day. I have found exercises I can do that do not require sitting or lying on the floor. Plus I have found that my thinking is clearer when I am active! 85, still going strong!
The remarkable plasticity of mitochondria allows them to adjust their volume, structure, and capacity under conditions such as exercise, which is beneficial for or improves metabolic health in people with various diseases and/or advanced age. Mitochondria exist within muscle as a functional network maintained through dynamic processes of biogenesis and fusion and balanced by opposing processes of fission and mitophagy. A greater understanding of the mechanisms of mitochondrial turnover in muscle could offer potential therapeutic targets for advancing health and longevity in our aging populations. Physical exercise is considered a non-pharmacological strategy for protecting mitochondrial health. Exercise regulates mitochondrial quality control, allowing for the repair or elimination of damaged mitochondria and the synthesis of new ones, thereby restoring metabolic health. Mitochondria are involved in disuse-induced muscle atrophy, the aging phenotype, lysosomal and mitochondrial DNA diseases, and how exercise alone or as adjunctive therapy can improve pathophysiology by repairing and restoring mitochondria. Physical training leads to functional adaptations that improve brain health, and current literature strongly suggests that mitochondrial remodeling plays a vital role in these positive adaptations. In populations with chronic diseases where mitochondrial dysfunction is involved, an individualized exercise prescription should be crucial for the “metabolic rehabilitation” of many patients.
Drawing on the lessons learned from elite athletes (the perfect human machines), it is possible to translate and apply multiple concepts to improve the health of populations with chronic diseases. Exercise induces proteome remodeling that depends on mitochondrial dynamics and delays an age-related decline in mitochondrial connectivity and physical fitness. AMPK, a metabolic regulator that detects low energy availability and controls mitochondrial dynamics, is necessary for exercise to maintain fitness with age and may recapitulate this benefit of exercise. The mitochondrial dynamics cycle is identified as an essential mediator of exercise responsiveness and an entry point for interventions to maintain muscle function during aging.
https://physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1113/JP278853 (2021).----
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.660068/full (2021).----
https://europepmc.org/article/med/33720909 (2021).-----
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9829476/ (2023).----
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/12/4/782 (2023) (2023).---
https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2204750120.----
This review analyzes the capacity of physical exercise to restore glycemic balance, which is compromised in patients with type 2 diabetes. We can also ask whether physical exercise might contribute to the remission of type 2 diabetes. Exercise reduces visceral adipose tissue and ectopic lipids, which helps reduce insulin resistance. Furthermore, by improving insulin sensitivity, it promotes glucose uptake in peripheral tissues and participates in glucose homeostasis, as measured by HbA1c control. The reduction of hyperglycemia could restore beta-cell function and mass. Cytokines secreted in response to physical exercise could mediate the positive role of physical exertion.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/17/8182 (2025)
One expression concerning health is Our Death Begins In the Legs. Possibly why walking can have such a huge impact on the Quality of our overall lives. Quality allowing Freedom, Independence in our range, movement and abilities. Quality over Quantity. Very doubtful many would care for a Darth Vader, more machine than man existence. Held prison in bed basically keeping machines alive.
Of course exercise engaging all of our body is great too, it's just because the legs and butt muscles are the largest muscle groups in our body and keeping them tip top as much and long as possible will send health improvement signals to all the muscles in our body. Stroke victims have shown improvements by exercising the unaffected arm with benefits showing up in the stroke affected arm whether it was able to engage or not.
Another health expression is; We Are As Young As Our Spine. This may be due to how muscle exercises and stretching exercises involving legs and spine open up the arteries, and veins in different ways. Keep them supple and flexible. As such would be a no brainer each are likely to improve Blood Pressure and Circulation for most.
It would seem the biggest take away for all the efforts expressed in this article are, they improve over all health builders, Dis-Ease preventors, extended Life Enhancers affording us an ability to enjoy our lives fully.
And most important, exercise does not have unpleasant side effects drugs have! I am now NOT taking any prescribed drugs despite type 2 diabetes, heart and cancer, just vitamins, minerals, herbs all organic sourced of course, no manufactured, chemical laced foods or medications for me! After all, RoundUp caused my cancer to begin with! Organic, no sugar, high fruitcose took me from 3 months to remission 24 years ago. Since my second stupid fall when I fratured 3 vertabrae in the lumbar region, I am more limited, cannot do many exercises. BUT, I now look where my feet are going! I also find ways to force myself to move more like take the long way to my destination, make two trips to get what one would do. I also credit my rescue cats for making me move more. 3 cats equal 5 litter boxes, more walking from one to another, bending and stooping! More trips to the door, letting them out and in and 4 trips to the kitchen to fix their food since I feed 4 time a day to avoid upchucking from over eating, gulping down too much at a time. I also have learned to pace myself, resting in between bouts of housework. Just takes longer to get things done! Whatever, I have learned that when I sit for long, I am stiffer, balance is poorer and it takes longer to get things done, so I make myself get up and move even when I do not feel like it! When you live alone, there is no one else to do things for you, you have to depend on yourself! And when the weather is bad, can't get outside I just walk around every room in the house 2 or 3 times! I have a large fireplace, 8' wide in the center of entry, living, dining rooms and take several trips around it every day. I have found exercises I can do that do not require sitting or lying on the floor. Plus I have found that my thinking is clearer when I am active! 85, still going strong!
Yup, the longer we sit, the stiffer we get.