Real Possibilities

August 13-19, 2018

By Nan Selz
Executive Council, AARP Arkansas

The immune system declines by about 2-3 percent a year from one’s 20s, which is why older people are more susceptible to infections, conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and, potentially, cancer. A research project conducted by Professor Janet Lord, director of the Institute of Inflammation and Aging, at the University of Birmingham, and Steve Harridge, professor of physiology at King’s College London, looked at markers in the blood for T-cells, which help the immune system respond to new infections. The research was published in the journal “Aging Cell”.

T-cells are produced in the thymus, a gland in the chest, which normally shrinks in size in adulthood. The study found that being physically active in old age helps people respond better to vaccines, and, therefore, be better protected against infections such as flu.

The researchers followed 125 long-distance cyclists, some now in their 80s, and found they had the immune systems of 20-year-olds. The endurance cyclists were producing the same level of T-cells as adults in their 20s, whereas a group of inactive older adults were producing very few. Steve Harridge observed “Being sedentary goes against evolution because humans are designed to be physically active.”

A separate paper also published in “Aging Cell” found that the cyclists did not lose muscle mass or strength, and did not see an increase in body fat which are usually associated with aging.

Professor Norman Lazarus, of King’s College London, who is 82, both took part in and co-authored the research. He is quoted as saying, “If exercise was a pill, everyone would be taking it. It has wide-ranging benefits for the body, the mind, for our muscles and our immune system. You don’t need to be a competitive athlete to reap the benefits … anything which gets you moving and a little bit out of puff will help.”

For more information on aging well, go to www.aarp.org