FINAL PAPER

Exercise versus Longevity

ABSTRACT

            Exercise is thought to be one of the main, and easiest, contributors to a longer more healthy life. But how can something as minuet as a little physical activity increase the longevity of an individual? This is the question of countless people around the world, because although the solution to a longer healthier life may be very simple the answer may not be. A simple exercise regimen can positively contribute to countless aspects of one's life. The answer to the widely asked question of how can exercise do something so extreme as to increase life expectancy comes from tremendously reliable and sound research done by hundreds of doctors, scientists, and sports specialist. Exercise increase the longevity of an individual's life by increasing metabolic rates, allowing for not only healthier, but more mental activity and capacity, increasing cardiovascular strength, and also by increasing the agility and mobility of an individual's body as he or she ages over time. This paper will describe, in detail, the immensely positive reinforcement one will receive from exercising throughout life.

Lit Review

Exercise decreases the risk for diseases

            Don Staley is coach, researcher, and a famous author who has wrote many books, such as Fit Mind Fit Body. Don also maintains a research blog on how exercise positively affects longevity factors; new articles are added to Don's blog as more research and development comes forth. Don's research proclaims that exercise reduces the risk for many diseases including high blood pressure, preventing strokes, decreasing the risk for premature death, helping protect against breast cancer, and preventing major risk factors associated with strokes (Staley). The research depicted on Don's blog states that thirty minutes of exercise per day, mostly aerobic exercise, can reduce the risk for these things by allowing your body to release many hormones that may be essential to maintain a health immune system and fighting depression, by increase oxygen and blood flow to vital organs, and throughout the body, which will boost the immune and maintain healthy bodily functions, and by increasing circulation which will lower hypertension, or high blood pressure (Staley). Don's research follows popular patterns of other studies done on longevity factors as well.

            Medical researcher, A.M. Bronikowski, acquired profound statistics when doing a study on exercise versus longevity factors on mice. Since mice have only one percent genetic variation from humans, Bronikowski performed an experiment, in which he study mice that exercised opposed to mice that did not exercise. Bronikowski found that the mice that did exercise actually made age-related alterations to the gene expression of the heart and reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (Bronikowski, 2002). Bronikowski announced that by changing the gene expression of the heart, many effects of aging on the cardiovascular system would be suppressed increase overall life expectancy (Bronikowski, 2002). Bronikowski's studies also match studies of certain universities.

            In the country of Brazil, at Federal University of São Carlos, major medical studies were done involving individuals that were obese and the elderly who smoked. In both cases, an increased rate of physical activity altered the severe consequences of obesity and smoking, if not reversing them completely, in order to restore the body to a healthier physiological state (Francisco, 2010). Cristina Francisco, the author of the medical research article, wrote that epidemiological and laboratory evidences have shown that regular exercise protects against the development and progression of several chronic diseases, and that exercise is considered an important component of a healthy lifestyle (Francisco, 2010). In over weight individuals, increased levels of physical activity will decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, and reverse some effects of the disease that may have already began to set into the heart (Francisco, 2010). As with an ex-smoker, physical exercise may help to diminish the risk of chronic diseases, improve physical fitness,  allow them to avoid putting on weight, and help to combat the symptoms of abstinence (Francisco, 2010). The modern studies done by Francisco support earlier research studies as well.

            D.A. Sargent, an author in the May, 1897 issue of The North American Review, published an article on exercise and longevity factors that supports claims made by recent studies. Sargent wrote that by undergoing stimulated muscular exercise, the body could increase the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the cells of vital organs throughout the body, decrease the rate at which individual cell die. By doing so, the body can repair and recover much faster from disease, sickness, and infection (Sargent, 1897). 

Exercise increases metabolic rates

            Matteo Tosato's master thesis, for the University of Florida, was written on the aging process and potential interventions to extend life expectancy (Tosato, 2007). Tosato's thesis states that one of four things that can intervene with longevity factors is exercise (Tosato, 2007). According to Tosato, exercise has major effects on mitochondrial DNA and metabolic pathways (Tosato, 2007). Tosato writes that the mitochondrial DNA may play the biggest role on longevity factors, and by increasing mitochondrial strength and decreasing DNA mutation rates, this maybe the most significant intervention exercise has on life expectancy (Tosato, 2007). In addition, increasing metabolic strength also means that the entire metabolic pathway may be used more efficiently, allowing the body to produce more energy (Tosato, 2007). By using exercise to increase mitochondrial strength, the overall metabolism of the body will increase allowing the body to lose more weight (Tosato, 2007).

Physical exercise is the key to a nations health

            One of the most shocking and disturbing studies done on the effects of exercise and longevity factors was performed by Phillip J. Longman. Longman compared life expectancy of small, poor, third world countries to the life expectancy of Americans and the data was unexpected. Longman found that smaller third world countries had the same, if not longer, life expectancies than that of the U.S. (Longman, 2003). Through further investigation, Longman found the reason for this to be exercise. The fact is that life expectancies in third world countries are so high because there are not cars which entails that people walk everywhere increasing cardiovascular strength, respiratory strength, boosting immune systems (Longman, 2003). Compare that statistic to that of the U.S. where it is almost unheard of for an individual to not own a car. Although the risk for disease in these countries is much higher, the morality rate is comparable to that of America, and Longman contributes this to the increased rate of exercise in these third world countries (Longman, 2003).

Exercise increases overall life expectancy

            In the book, The Science of Anti-Aging Medicine, Tony Little describes the effect of exercise on the total longevity of the human body. Little describes life as "trying to find the fountain of youth", and according to Little, exercise is the key (Little 199-217). In years worth of scientific studies, Little found that individuals who exercised regularly live, on average, 1-2 years longer than those individuals who did not exercise (Little 199-207). In addition, avid exercise enthusiasts, those who burned over 3,500kcal per week through exercise alone, achieve a life expectancy of a few years longer than those who just exercise regularly (Little 199-217). Similar data points were found in other studies that support the fact that exercise does increase life expectancy.

            Four years earlier, an author by the name of L. Ferrucci documented similar findings to those of Little. Ferrucci introduced a welcoming statistic, through and ongoing study, that males and females, both non smokers, could increase their life expectancy by an average of 16.2 and 18.4 years respectively (Ferrucci, 1999). According to Ferrucci, and individual could attain such explicit results by committing to a lifelong exercise regime, and by not smoking to maintain respiratory strength (Ferrucci, 1999).

Exercise Increases Longevity Factors

            Within the last century, the life expectancy, of an average human being, has increase by twenty-seven years, and interestingly enough, the rates of physical activity almost directly correlate (Tosato, 2007). Extending the life an individual has on this earth is the primary goal of almost every living organism. Humans try to extend this dark grim barrier of death through medicine, vaccines, the improvement hygiene habits, and by performing countless medical and scientific experiments. What if something as easy as an exercise regime could increase longevity factors just as much as the things we spend millions of dollars on each year? The fact is, that exercise can positively affect longevity factors by reducing risks for many diseases, increasing the metabolic rate within the body, and by explicitly increasing the number of years an individual can live.

            One of the largest problems in modern society is that the risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers has increase within the last couple decades due to poor dieting and habits such as smoking (Longman, 2003; Francisco, 2010). In order to decrease the risk for these diseases, many doctors and scientists are turning to exercise as an answer. Studies have found that by exercise an individual can actually alter the gene expression of the heart, reversing some major effects of cardiovascular disease along with manipulating age related factors of the heart as well (Bronikowski, 2002). Furthermore, by adding as little as thirty minutes of exercise to a daily routine an individual can reverse the affects of hypertension, or high blood pressure (Staley). Author Don Staley states, "Regular aerobic exercise reduces blood pressure by increasing blood circulation to the muscles and skin and by widening the blood vessels" (Staley). In addition, by decrease blood pressure, the risks subsided with kidney disease or failure, heart attack, and stroke may also decrease (Staley). Moreover, it is a proven statistic that stimulated muscular exercise also increase longevity by allowing more oxygen and nutrient to flow to vital organs within the body, which will decrease the rate at which individuals cells die, and mutate, decreasing the risk for cancerous cells and increasing the rate at which the body can recover from disease, sickness and infection (Sargent, 1897). Additionally, exercise may also increase estrogen and progesterone levels in females which reduces the risk for breast cancer, a disease that kills nearly 40,000 women each year (Staley).

            A similar study, done in the country of Brazil, yielded comparable results that stated physical activity could weaken, if not reverse, some of the affects of both cardiovascular disease and lung disease (Francisco, 2010). At Federal University of São Carlos, medical researcher Cristina Francisco performed experiments on a two groups of people, the first group being obese and the second group was elderly group who had smoked. In both cases, each group had an increased rate of exercise, which Francisco found reduced potential risk of cardiovascular disease and lung disease, in addition to reversing many of the effects the diseases had already applied (Francisco, 2010). Francisco wrote in a medical journal that, "Physical exercise may...protect against the development and progression of several chronic diseases, and it is considered an important component of a healthy lifestyle" (Francisco, 2010). Along with reducing the risk for many diseases, exercise also increase metabolic rates within the body.

            One of the largest impacts exercise has on longevity is how it effects mitochondrial DNA and metabolic pathways. Furthermore, by increase the rate of metabolic pathways, by physical activity, allows the body to function more efficiently and effectively allowing an individual to lose weight more easily (Tosato, 2007). In addition to increase rates of metabolism, exercise also increases mitochondrial strength within the body (Tosato, 2007). Mitochondria are microorganisms within almost every cell that produces ATP, which is the energy currency of the body. Exercise increases mitochondrial strength and decrease the rate at which DNA mutation occurs permits increased energy levels that will allow an individual to lose weight, which will decrease the risk for disease and increase longevity (Tosato, 2007). Although countless studies show that exercise does positively affect longevity factors, not everyone agrees with the results.

            Several people against exercise increasing life expectancy will argue that exercise actually speeds up the aging process. It is said that the impact the body endures through running, or similar activities, will break apart the collagen within the skin (collagen allows skin to be taut and resilient) increasing the number of wrinkles one acquires. However, this statement is simply not credible and there is no research evidence that supports the claims made against exercise and longevity. Another common argument against exercise increasing life expectancy, is that exercise will break down tissues within the body resulting in negative feedback due to exercise. Yet, extensive medical research shows that exercise is the chief source of renovation and repair of the body, and that the repair process happens much faster rate than the breakdown process due to the amount of oxygen and nutrient that is delivered throughout the body during exercise and that the body will recover fully from any damage done via exercise (Sargent, 1897). Additionally, medical research does show that exercise will increase overall life expectancy.

            "Studies show a link between exercise and increased longevity. Of the few studies that did not demonstrate a link between exercise and longevity...these studies did not use the best scientific method available" states Tony Little, author of The Science of Anti-aging Medicine (Little 199-217). Little reports seeing, in people who burn between 2,000-3,500kcal per week in exercise along, an extension in longevity of an average of one to two years (Little 199-217). Little's findings are complimented by the findings of L. Ferrucci as well. Ferrucci brings a more promising statistic to the table by concluding, through a lifelong study, that a male may increase his overall life expectancy by 16.2 years, and a female may increase her longevity by as many as 18.4 years (Ferrucci, 1999). Ferrucci says that an individual may achieve such a significant difference in life expectancy by attaining a lifelong commitment to exercise.

            As the data reveals, exercise does constructively affect longevity factors. Since the rise of the human race, the life expectancy has continued to raise, and many medical researchers, scientist, and fitness experts contribute this exercise. In the words of Tony Little, "For centuries, people have sought the Fountain of Youth. The desire to live longer is perhaps felt by even more people today as we realize that the quality of our lives can be greatly improved...through regular physical activity" (Little 199-217).        

Annotated Bibliography

Bronikowski, A. M. (2002). Lifelong voluntary exercise in the mouse prevents. (Master's thesis,\ 1094-8341), Available from American Physiological Society. (APS)Retrieved from             http://physiolgenomics.physiology.org/content/12/2/129.full.pdf. A medical experiment performed on mice was executed to prove that lifelong voluntary exercise not only will increase life expectancy, but actually change the gene expression on the body, and most importantly, the heart. The body will undergo less aging due to the fact that exercise strengthens and increases the efficiencies of almost every organism.

Tosato, M. (2007). The aging process and potential interventions. (Master's thesis, University of Florida)Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2685272/pdf/cia\2-401.pdf. This source supports a thesis that increasing exercise levels will increase the length of one's life. Within the last century, life expectancies have increase 27 years, and studies show that along with the increasing life expectancies, exercise levels have increased as well. Exercising increases metabolic rates, which will increase energy levels and the ability to lose weight. In turn you will be less likely to obtain certain diseases and disorders.

Francisco, C. O. (2010). comparison of hemodynamic and nutritional parameters between older             persons practicing regular physical activity, nonsmokers and ex-smokers . (Master's          thesis, Federal University of São Carlos , São Carlos, Brazil)Retrieved from     http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE|A242484347&v=2.1&u=lo          m_accessmich&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&authCount=1. This source supports the fact that exercise can lower the risk for many diseases. Exercise can reduce the effects of lung disease and can reverse the effects of smoking on the lungs and return the aerobic capacity of the lungs back to normal for the age of an individual. Also, in over weight individuals increased exercise reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease, along with lowering blood pressure levels and increasing oxygen levels in the blood improve overall bodily function. With an exercise regimen in place and an elderly home, individuals who participated in the exercise were more socially active, mentally quicker, and had the ability to relax and relieve stress more often that individuals who did not participate.

Longman, P. J. (2003). Physical exercise: Key to the nation's health . (pp. 16-23). Washington:      Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE|A257150555&v=2.1&u=lom_accessmich&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&authCount=1. This source tells how other countries spend only a fraction of the money Americans do on health care but have the same life expectancy. This is because the rate of exercise in smaller countries is much larger due to less cars and the fact that exercise reduces the risk for many diseases. Exercise is the way to a healthy society, and in doing so the cost Americans do spend on health care will decrease and the average life expectancy will increase even more.

Ferrucci, L. (1999, Winter). Smoking, physical activity, and active life expectancy. Family             Economics and Nutrition Review , 12(1), 69. Retrieved from http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE|A57512270&v=2.1&u=lom_accessmich&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w&authCount=1. A study shows the life expectancy of someone who has low, moderate, and high levels of activity versus people of the same age that have not exercise regimen. The life expectancy difference is extreme. It also argues that exercise may break smoking addictions that otherwise may lead to the cause of disease.

Staley, Don. "Don Staley Life Coaching Articles." Don Staley. N.p., 12 January 2009. Web. 18 Apr 2012. <http://www.donstaley.com/articles>. Don's web page displays numerous articles about the affects of exercise on an individual's longevity. He argues, with credible research and sources, that exercise decrease the risk for diseases including, but not limited to: decreasing blood pressure levels, increasing good cholesterol levels and decreasing bad cholesterol, preventing strokes, decreasing the risk for premature death, and helping protect against breast cancer.

Sargent, D. A. (1897, May). Exercise and longevity. The North American Review , 164(486), 556-565. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25118813?seq=1. On the second page of this pdf it describes how exercise delivers more oxygen and nutrients to organs and throughout the body allowing for the body to repair itself faster. With this factor  playing a major role in fighting diseases and maintaining the bodies overall immune system, it is easy to see how exercising will increase longevity. Boosted immunity levels within the body allow the body to also fight off infections and sickness faster and more efficiently.

Little, Tony. The Science of Anti-Aging Medicine. 1st edition. Chicago: American Academy of      Anti-Aging Medicine, 2003. 199-217. Web. <http://books.google.com/books?id=RI8ZyNo5KCkC&printsec=frontcover. This book describes how everyone is trying to find the fountain of youth and extend their life by manipulating longevity factors with exercise. It tells how exercise is the way to achieve a healthier life style.  Studies were done at Harvard University showing that people who did exercise regularly lived 1-2 years longer, but those who exercised more extremely and burned over 3,500kcal per week through exercise alone had an even noticeably longer life expectancy that those who exercised regularly.