Physiological Effects of Exercise with Aging

Background: Exercise is an important factor for optimizing overall health and preventing chronic diseases.

Aim: Our aim was to examine the effects of voluntary exercise on old rats` bone marrow by measuring physiological and molecular variables following exercise stimulation.

Results: We found that voluntary exercise speed and endurance are reduced with aging. The in vitro results displayed an enhanced proliferating and differentiating rate of bone marrow cells.

Discussion and Conclusion: When transplanting the exercise stimulated marrow of old rats into an ectopic model of Demineralized Bone Matrix we find newly formed blood vessels within the graft in excess of the sedentary old marrow transplanted to a similar ectopic model. Tissue repair and perfusion are improved when exercise marrow is transplanted to the ischemic limb of donor rat. The number of transplanted cells survived in the ischemic limb was higher when stimulated by exercise. Bone marrow stimulated by exercise exhibits differential gene expression that is involved in glucose and lipids metabolism, bone formation, angiogenesis, and inflammation. Our data highlight the importance of exercise in aging animals.