The Study
Exercise reduces circulating biomarkers of cellular senescence in humans
This study saw that people who exercised for 12 weeks had less of certain aging-related molecules in their blood. But because there was no group that didn’t exercise, we can’t be sure the exercise caused the change — maybe they just felt better and ate better too.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
This study tested if working out for 12 weeks can reduce signs of aging in the body’s cells, especially in the blood.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 546 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — lower aging markers and better movement suggest exercise may slow cellular aging and improve daily function in older adults.
- 2After 12 weeks of exercise twice a week, key aging markers (p16, p21, cGAS, TNFα) in immune cells dropped, and harmful proteins like myeloperoxidase and serpin E1 in the blood also decreased.
- 3People got stronger and moved better.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Aging Cell
Year
2021
Authors
Davis A. Englund, A. Sakamoto, Chad M Fritsche, A. Heeren, Xu Zhang, Brian R. Kotajarvi, D. Lecy, Matthew J. Yousefzadeh, M. Schafer, T. White, Elizabeth J. Atkinson, N. LeBrasseur
Related Content
Claims (5)
In older adults, a 12-week exercise program of twice-weekly strength and endurance training is associated with lower levels of specific molecular markers of cellular aging in immune cells and reduced levels of related inflammatory proteins in the blood.
Older adults who complete twelve weeks of structured exercise show better grip strength, faster sit-to-stand performance, and quicker timed up and go test results.
In older adults, physical activity is linked to lower levels of two blood proteins, myeloperoxidase and PAI1, which are involved in inflammation and blood clotting.
In older adults, the amount of certain biological markers in the blood before starting exercise is linked to how much physical function improves after 12 weeks of exercise.
In older adults with mobility limitations, a structured exercise program over 24 months does not lower the blood levels of specific biomarkers associated with cellular aging.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.