Exercise May Help Your Muscle Cells Stave Off Old Age

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a type of cardiovascular exercise that involves alternating short periods of intense exercise with less intense recovery periods. In a new study, researchers took muscle biopsies from participants who performed different types of exercise and compared them with samples taken from sedentary individuals. They found that exercise, in particular HIIT, improves the energy-producing capacity of muscle cells, which is known to naturally decline as part of the aging process. Study senior author Dr. Sreekumaran Nair adds, “Based on everything we know, there’s no substitute for these exercise programs when it comes to delaying the aging process.” Cell Metabolism, March 2017