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By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Medicine
A brisk walk may not exactly lead you to the fountain of youth—but a new research review suggests that it’s a good start. According to a report in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, vigorous walking for about an hour a day, five days a week, can boost your oxygen intake by as much as 25 percent within just three months. That’s enough to turn back the clock on 12 years of the natural decline you experience as you age. For seniors, it could also add a dozen years of functional independence.
The researchers from the University of Toronto reviewed 30 studies involving people age 64 and older. They specifically focused on research showing the relationship between aerobic activity like walking, aging and oxygen intake, known among scientists as VO2max.
VO2max – Your Body’s Ability to Consume Oxygen
One of the oldest measures of fitness and human performance, VO2max gauges the body’s ability to consume oxygen when you are exercising your hardest. It depends on the blood-pumping power of your heart, the ability of your blood to carry oxygen, the amount of muscle you have and the ability of those muscles to use oxygen. The higher your VO2max—measured in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/[kg.min])—the better your body can perform over extended periods of activity. Marathon runners have been measured at VO2max values of 80 ml/[kg.min] and above; the average 40-year-old man with no endurance training might score 35-40 ml/[kg.min], with women averaging about 5 points lower.
With age, the body tends to lose about 5 ml/[kg.min] in VO2max per decade. As oxygen intake drops, the amount of activity you can do without getting fatigued declines, too. Once VO2max drops below 18 ml/[kg.min] for men and 15 for women, a person is likely to lose their functional independence.
Benefits of Aerobic Exercise
But this study review found that aerobic activity, such as vigorous walking, can not only slow but reverse that decline. And the longer you keep at it, the greater the gains in turning back the hands of time—at least in terms of your body’s oxygen capacity. In a 10-week training program, the review found an average VO2max improvement of more than 12 percent; over 12-18 weeks, the gain averaged 14 percent. And in those who stuck with the walking program for six months to a year, oxygen intake improved nearly 17 percent.
Working harder also pays dividends. The studies that tested a high-intensity walking program recorded VO2max boosts of 25 percent. Since 10 years’ aging naturally takes a toll of about 5 ml/[kg.min], that represents the equivalent of gaining back 12 years of youthful vigor.
Aerobic Exercise Now, Could Help You In The Future
In looking at the link between oxygen intake and functional independence, the researchers speculated that aerobic fitness may also help extend independence by combating other conditions that can take a toll on a person’s ability to live on their own. These include obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis and even some forms of cancer. Exercise can also build muscle, which helps prevent debilitating falls and speeds recovery from injuries.
If that weren’t enough, there’s new evidence that the exercise you do today could help you recover from a stroke tomorrow. Mayo Clinic researchers report that people who exercise at least once a week seem to improve their odds of having a good outcome after a stroke. Couch potatoes, on the other hand, who experience a stroke are much more likely to have one or more bad outcomes. The reason is simple: A brain that has good blood and oxygen flow from aerobic exercise will be in better position to compensate for neurological defects caused by a stroke.
During the review, the Mayo team looked at data on 673 first-time stroke victims in the Ischemic Stroke Genetics Study. Those who had exercised one to three times a week in the year prior to the stroke and those who had exercised four or more times a week were about equally likely to have good outcomes. But those who hardly exercised at all before a stroke faced much worse odds of recovery.
Tips For Walking
Walking doesn’t require any fancy equipment or attire. You only need a pair of comfortable walking shoes and you’re ready to go. Here are some tips to start you off on the right foot:
- Get your doctor’s okay before starting a walking program if you are over 50 (or over 40 with a chronic disease).
- If you’re walking in the early morning or evening when it may be dark, invest in reflective apparel and bring a mini-flashlight so you can see what’s ahead of you. It’s always best to walk with someone else or in a safe public area like a shopping mall, public park or bustling city center.
- Warm up before your walk by stepping in place for two to three minutes to raise your heart rate slowly.
- Once you are warmed up, do light stretching before walking, focusing on your thighs, calves and hamstrings, as well as the muscles in your upper body.
- After your walk, stretch your muscles while they are warmed up and limber, especially the major muscles of your legs, back, hips and shoulders.
So, what are you waiting for? The clock is ticking! Walking is the easiest, cheapest and most effective activity that can determine how fast—and how well—you age.
References:
National Institute on Aging: Getting Fit for Life www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/exercise.htm
Physical Activity for Everyone, www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/everyone.
Shephard RJ. Maximal oxygen intake and independence in old age. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2009;43:342-346.
Stroud N, et al. Prestroke Physical Activity and Early Functional Status After Stroke. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. Jul 2009; doi:10.1136/jnnp.2008. 170027.
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