4 Ways Exercise Helps Fight Aging

Everyone knows that exercise is good for you. But it’s not just beneficial for the young, healthy and already fit. It’s also one of the best defenses against the toughest aspects of aging.

Exercise not only improves heart and lung health, but research shows that even modest physical activity is good for the brain, bones, muscles and mood. Numerous studies have found that lifelong exercise may keep people healthier for longer; delay the onset of 40 chronic conditions or diseases; stave off cognitive decline; reduce the risk of falls; alleviate depression, stress and anxiety; and may even help people live longer.

“Exercise is the best defense and repair strategy that we have to counter different drivers of aging,” says aging researcher Nathan LeBrasseur, professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. It can’t reverse aging, per se, he cautions, but “there’s clear evidence that exercise can activate the machinery necessary for DNA repair.”

Of course, the sooner you begin and the longer you remain physically active, the better. But physical activity is important at every age. Research on the effects of exercise on nursing-home residents found improvements in their physical and cognitive abilities as well as on their mental health.

Something else to keep in mind, says LeBrasseur, is that while your risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer or other conditions of aging may not substantially increase until middle age or later, the underlying biology for those conditions is in motion early in life. Genetics and the lifestyle factors you choose will determine that trajectory, but these can influence your likelihood for disease at any point. “So, there’s no such thing as too little, too late.”

The good news is that you don’t have to run a marathon or go to the gym to reap the anti-aging benefits of exercise. Even modest physical activity—taking the stairs instead of the elevator, gardening or walking the dog—has physical and cognitive benefits, as long as you do it regularly. Here are just some of the ways research shows regular activity benefits your health.

It builds muscle strength

As people age, they lose muscle mass and strength, a condition known as sarcopenia. Scientists say resistance training is one of the best ways to help slow that decline. It not only maintains muscle strength and power (what you’ll need while opening a jar or pushing a heavy door), but it makes everyday activities like cooking, cleaning and climbing stairs less difficult. It can also help reduce susceptibility to disease, improve brain health and mood and help you maintain independence longer. Researchers at the University of Alabama found that resistance training is safe and effective for older adults, with rates of injuries extremely low and similar across all ages and intensities.

It improves bone density

To keep bones strong, the body breaks down old bone and replaces it with new bone tissue—but around age 30, bone mass stops increasing. In your 40s and 50s, you slowly start losing more bone than you make. Exercise can help increase bone density when you’re younger and stave off osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bone and increases the risk of breaks as you age.

Almost half of all adults 50 and older are at risk of breaking a bone due to osteoporosis, which costs the health system $19 billion annually, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. But that doesn’t mean that older people are powerless; doing weight-bearing exercise throughout life helps increase bone mass and strength.

Since osteoporosis affects women more often than men, activities like walking or aerobics are especially important after menopause. While older people can’t gain more bone mass, physical activity can help prevent bone loss. Lower impact activities like cycling, yoga and swimming aren’t enough to affect bone loss, but when combined with weight-bearing exercises, they can help improve balance and reduce risk of falls and fractures.

Exercise can lengthen telomeres

Telomeres are the caps on the ends of DNA strands, similar to the caps on shoelaces. Their length decreases with aging, and this contributes to cell senescence, meaning the cells can no longer divide. Telomere length is connected to certain chronic conditions, especially high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease. Several studies have found that higher levels of physical activity are related to longer telomere lengths in some people, compared to those who are sedentary. This seems to be especially true in older people. However, it’s still not clear whether that relationship is causal, and it’s likely that multiple processes affect telomere length. But in general, longer telomeres are believed to be a plus for reducing risk of age-related diseases.

It can improve cognition

Your ability to shift quickly between tasks, plan an activity and ignore irrelevant information are all signs of good cognitive function, according to the National Institute on Aging. Physical activity is now seen as one of the most promising methods for improving cognition throughout life and reducing risk of age-related cognitive decline. While researchers can’t yet say for sure that exercise can actually prevent dementia, studies show that more physical activity is linked to reduced risk of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

As scientists continue to research the effects of exercise, they’re finding all kinds of exciting benefits, says Steven Austad, senior scientific director at the American Federation for Aging Research and chair in the department of biology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. For example, “exercising muscle produces myokines, which are small molecules that have all kinds of benefits in your brain,” he says. ”It’s also one way to really improve the quality of your sleep, and we know that the quality of your sleep is related to the quality of your health.”

There’s still a lot we don’t know about how exercise affects the aging process, but what we do know is this: moving your body regularly—five times per week, for at least 30 minutes daily—is better than moving less often. Exercise is cumulative; you don’t have to do it all at once (and of course, check with your health provider before starting any new activity). And a combination of aerobic and resistance exercises seems to provide the most benefits for most people.

Best of all, it’s never too late to start.

 

This is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   

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IIT Hyderabad researchers unravel functioning of DNA repair proteins

Researchers are seeking to understand the workings of the DNA damage repair proteins. Certain types of chemicals produced naturally in the body can cause damages in DNA and if not fixed fast, may trigger cell death.

Researchers have unraveled the working of a protein that repairs damaged DNA.

Nature has evolved techniques to not only protect DNA, but also to repair damaged DNA so that catastrophic damage can be averted. In humans, one such repair mechanism involves activation of a special class of proteins called 'DNA' repair proteins.

With increasing awareness of the impact of DNA damage on almost all diseases and maladies, there is a worldwide effort to understand how these repair proteins work, both as an academic exercise and as the foundation for therapeutic interventions.

The results of the study has been published recently.

What makes matter a living being, be it a bacterium or man is the DNA. DNA is the file blueprint of the life-form and encodes the directions that the life-form must take in order to become bacterium, rose, lion or man. It is this essential for the survival of every cell and is usually kept well protected within the nucleus of cells and in some non0nuclear parts like the mitochondria.

Any damage to DNA can result in outcomes that can range from unperceivable mild changes, such as the sudden appearance of a harmless mole, to catastrophic diseases, such as cancer. The retention of DNA integrity is therefore essential for proper function and survival of all organisms. Protection of DNA is daunting because of the possibility of damage by external sources and the intrinsic instability of DNA itself.

" Our laboratory at IIT Hyderabad seeks to understand the working of the DNA damage repair proteins. Certain types of chemicals produced naturally in the body can cause damages in DNA and if not fixed fast, may trigger cell death", explains Dr. Anindya Roy.

Researchers discovered mechanism by which these DNA repair proteins assemble when DNA is under threat. They studies the action of one specific protein called alkB homolog 3 or ALKBH3. It has been known that ALKBH3 repairs alkylated DNA containing 1-methyladenosine and 3.methylcytosine through oxidative demethylation, but the mechanism has hitherto remained unclear.

The researchers unraveled the mechanism by which ALKBH3 brings about demethylation.

We've found that ALKBH3 has a direct protein-protein interaction with another protein called RAD51C and this interaction stimulates ALKHB3-mediated repair of methyl-adduct located within 3'-tailed DNA adds the Dr. on the technical aspects of their discovery.

The team is fascinated by the universality of the mechanism-- it is just as applicable to the bacterium as it is to the humans. " The knowledge gained from our studies might, in the long term, be beneficial from a cancer therapeutic perspective", hopes Dr. Roy, as the team proceeds with work on understanding how DNA repair works.

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Landmark Vitamin Discovery Could Prevent Miscarriages And Birth Defects

A simple vitamin supplement could have the potential to prevent miscarriages and birth defects, according to a 12-year study by scientists.

Researchers have identified a deficiency in a developmental molecule called NAD that can keep a baby's organs from forming properly in the womb – but the shortfall could be addressed by pregnant women taking Vitamin B 3, which may prevent a range of birth defects.

It's the first time that NAD (aka nicotinamideadenine dinucleotide) has been linked to congenital abnormalities, identifying a previously unknown cause of birth defects – along with the supplement that might treat the problem.

"The ramifications are likely to be huge," says developmental geneticist.

"This has the potential to significantly reduce the number of miscarriages and birth defects around the world, and I do not use those words lightly."

The team began their research back in 2005, when they came across the case of a baby with major defects in the heart, backbone, and ribs.
A genomic analysis revealed that both parents carried a mutation in a gene involved in the production of NAD – a vital molecule that contributes to energy production, DNA repair, and cell communication.
Several years later, the researchers found a similar mutation affecting NAD production in the family of another baby born with congenital problems.

 That was our Eureka moment," the scientist told.

In all, the team examined genetic data from 14 families whose children bore congenital birth defects, and found the NAD mutations present in four of them.

To test possible treatment mechanisms, the team engineered mice with the same deficiency, using the  CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technique.

When female mice with the mutation gave birth, many of their pups died or were born with significant defects – but counterparts fed diets including B3 supplements gave birth to healthier offspring.

Diets with small amounts of vitamin B3 produced baby mice with fewer abnormalities, and feed rich in the supplement fostered a healthy litter of animals.

As far as a proof of concept goes, we've only seen this result in animals – and the principal deficiency has only been studied in four human families – so we shouldn't get too carried away with the findings just yet.

But it's a very promising start down a new avenue in developmental research, and one with the potential to produce life-changing results for thousands of families.

"Arguably, it's the most important discovery for pregnant women since folate," the scientist told in reference to the research that showed folic acid could reduce the incidence of spina bifida and other neural tube defects.

Vitamin B3, also known as niacin, is usually found in meats and green vegetables, along with condiment.

But while many pregnant women take dietary supplements, research has shown that up to third of women have low levels of vitamin B3 during their pregnancy.

The team behind the new study hope that's something their findings can turn around, although the research is at too early a stage for scientists to recommend any kind of specific dosage.

"At the moment, the recommendation is to take a standard multivitamin, but we're all different and that will not prevent all women from having babies with birth defects," 

"We need to identify those women at risk and identify a safe level of niacin for them to take to prevent miscarriages and birth defects."

To that end, the researchers say the next step will be developing a diagnostic test akin to a pregnancy test, sampling either urine or blood, which could easily show which women could be low in NAD.

Nobody knows when this kind of check-up will become available, but we can't wait to see where this research leads – because it's something that could have a huge impact on the health and happiness of too many lives to count.

The findings were reported in a medical journal.

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Scientist Finds Cure to Leukemia in Combination of Drugs

As news of first Batman actor died of Leukemia disturbed many on Saturday, came another news cheering those suffering from blood cancer that a new drug has proved successful to treat the disease. Leukaemia is a disease where the body produces too many white blood cells and not enough red blood cells.

The new drug, developed by  a postdoctoral , may provide better treatment either solo or combined with chemotherapy to Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) that can affect both children and adults.

Also known as Philadelphia chromosome, where two segments of chromosomes have aberrantly fused together, the ALL cancer cells are addicted to repairing DNA, which means these “cells do not retain enough DNA damage to die (from chemotherapy). Essentially they resist any kind of drug you use on them. So we had to find a new way to overcome this DNA repair addiction,” she said.

Researcher focused on two specific proteins which she found were directly involved in DNA repair, called histone deacetylases (HDAC) 1 and 2 and then collaborated with a company to make a drug that inhibits HDAC1 and 2 activity.

When she tested the HDAC1,2 inhibitor in patient samples and mice, she found encourging results, either alone or in combination with a chemotherapy drug called doxorubicin currently used for Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL patients.

She found that the drugs broke down the central hub of DNA repair, and the HDAC1,2 inhibitor actually reduced different repair protein functions.”When the drug was combined with a low concentration of doxorubicin, it had additional therapeutic benefits,” she said.

In fact, the mice treated with the HDAC1,2 inhibitor or the HDAC1,2/doxorubicin combination, showed that their bone marrow started turning from pale to red, indicating the white blood cells were being replaced with red blood cells.

“We completely nailed down how the HDAC1,2 inhibitor affects DNA repair. This is so important, not just for this cancer, but any cancer that is repair-addicted. We know there is a specific type of lymphoma that is also repair-addicted,” said the researcher.

The study was published in the journal Leukemia.

In addition, the repair proteins identified by her can also be used as potential biomarkers to predict a patient’s response in the clinic.  The next steps will include initiating human clinical trials, which are now being discussed between her team and appropriate clinical and pharmaceutical partners.

 this is only for your information, kindly take the advice of your doctor for medicines, exercises and so on.   
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