How Is Cycling Good For Aging Bodies?

I'm 60+ and have been cycling for 30 years. It might not grant me eternal youth, but I feel great and cycling, scientists have found, can slow the aging process and keep my muscles and immune system healthy for a few more years.

Aging, it turns out, can do a number on your muscles. Humans typically lose muscle mass as they get older. Fat and connective tissue also start invading, affecting the muscles’ ability to contract. Furthermore, muscles can no longer suck up oxygen at the same rates.

Most people experience their biological peak between the ages of 20 and 35. After that, you start to lose muscle, and your heart and lung function weakens. As you get older, your exercise capacity and ability to recover from intense activity decline.

The Good News....cycling can actually slow down the progression of aging. The Guardian reported on a study that compared cyclists between the ages of 55 and 79 with a group of healthy adults that did not exercise on a regular basis. The results showed that the cyclists experienced a slower decline in muscle mass than those who did not exercise.

Some other benefits of cycling include:

• Stable testosterone levels in men
• Preserved strength
• Constant body fat levels
• Improved cholesterol levels

One important finding was that cycling improved immunity. As you age, your thymus, an organ that produces T-cells, shrinks. T-cells participate in your immune response to antigens. The cyclists in the study appeared to make as many T-cells as younger individuals.

In another study, researchers found that participants who underwent interval training significantly changed activity levels in genes that influence mitochondria health. The cyclists in the group saw especially pronounced results. In other words, the decline in the health of muscle cells, which is associated with aging, was protected—and even reversed—in these individuals.

Cycling can also help you live longer. A 2017 study that was published in the BMJ found that people who regularly commuted by bike had a lower risk of death, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

In addition to all of these benefits, you will feel more energized and ready to seize the day. Your self-image will improve and you’ll be overall much healthier. Age is just a number and rest assured – it’s never too late to start.

Donald Grandy

Precision Nutrition Certification - Pn1

Sport and Exercise Nutrition Coach

dongrandy@gmail.com