The exercise elixir: Five ways movement lengthens longevity

It improves body composition

One way exercise helps prevent so many chronic diseases, including cancer, is by improving body composition so there’s less fat and more muscle, Newton says.

“If someone is overweight and especially if they have diabetes, they’ll have a high level of insulin that can act like a growth hormone, stimulating cancer cells to develop. This is why too much fat and too little muscle in the body creates a cancer-promoting environment.”

On the flip side, regular strength training to build more muscle means you’ll develop a more cancer-suppressive environment in the body, and help keep other illnesses like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease at bay too.

It’s like a cardiovascular ‘polypill’

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“The effects of exercise on the heart and arteries are profound – it’s like a multi-purpose pill for cardiovascular disease that decreases the risk of having a heart attack, stroke or artery diseases by 30 to 40 per cent,” says Professor Daniel Green of the University of Western Australia’s School of Human Sciences.

One way is by reducing problems that compromise heart health: exercise helps control levels of blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose and insulin and helps keep body fat and inflammation in check.

“But exercise also has a direct effect on your heart and arteries. When you exercise, your heart rate and blood pressure temporarily increase, driving blood flow around the body and through the heart,” Green says. “This is a good thing because it stimulates the inner lining of your heart and arteries to release beneficial hormones that prevent the development of artery disease.”

Exercise tunes up your engine

Working out boosts your VO2 max, which refers to the amount of oxygen you use when you exercise as hard as you can. It’s the gold standard measurement of someone’s fitness and how well they function physically, says Green.

“Increasing your VO2 max means you’ve increased the capacity of your heart, lungs, arteries and muscle to transport and use oxygen. It’s linked to a lower risk of a heart attack or stroke and is the main way to prolong your health span – meaning the number of years you live in good health,” he says.

“Think of your VO2 max as the size of your engine. Some people have a bigger engine for genetic reasons, but everyone can tune up the engine they have.”

The best way to tune it up is by being increasing your level of physical activity.

“Any regular physical activity will increase your fitness and the benefits are greater if you’re sedentary and starting from a low level,” he says.

It does wonders for the brain

“Exercise improves cognition and decreases the risk of stroke so we know it helps protect brain health,” Green says. “And there’s good evidence that this translates to less dementia.”

How exercise does this isn’t clear but it may be because exercise improves artery function and has an anti-inflammatory effect.

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