Credit: iStock/Zorica Nastasic As the population ages, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and other neurodegenerative diseases are on the rise. These conditions can make independence harder, but exercise can protect your brain. Aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging and bicycling can improve brain health, size and function. Research has shown that strength training may offer … Continue reading The Brain-boosting Power of Strength Training
Aging
From Tomatoes to Treadmills: What Scientists Are Discovering About Everyday Health
American Physiology Summit attendees view scientific posters. Credit: Erica Roth From record-breaking running speeds set by a 91-year-old to how your body responds to climate shifts, the American Physiology Summit brought together researchers exploring the science of health and life itself. Here’s how their findings presented at the annual meeting of the American Physiological Society could … Continue reading From Tomatoes to Treadmills: What Scientists Are Discovering About Everyday Health
The Vascular Clock: Understanding Female Vascular Aging
Credit: iStock/FatCamera Many of us fear wrinkles, gray hair and other signs of aging. But not as many people seem to worry about aging associated with our vascular system, the network of vessels that circulate blood throughout our body. Years of blood flowing to and from the heart can lead to some consequential changes that … Continue reading The Vascular Clock: Understanding Female Vascular Aging
Keeping Older Adults Hydrated in the Heat
Credit: iStock/Yau Ming Low Most of us know it’s important to drink more when it’s hot outside, especially when we’ve been physically active. Without replacing the fluids we lose through sweating, we can start to show signs of heat-related illness, such as lightheadedness and muscle cramping. Dehydration also strains the heart and kidneys. This advice … Continue reading Keeping Older Adults Hydrated in the Heat
Stopping Free Radicals in Their Tracks
Credit: iStock “Free radical” is a term you might have heard about, usually in the context of its link to rapid aging and cancer. But what exactly is a free radical? Free radicals—also called reactive oxygen species—and their toxic effects have been on scientists’ minds since their discovery about a hundred years ago. As scientists … Continue reading Stopping Free Radicals in Their Tracks
2021’s Most-read I Spy Physiology Posts
Credit: iStock This year, as the pandemic continued, the lights of labs and classrooms switched back on as scientists and students returned to studying, working and researching in person. Our I Spy blog contributors wrote about a wide range of topics this year, including aging, the physiological effects of grieving, achieving optimal physical performance and … Continue reading 2021’s Most-read I Spy Physiology Posts
What and When We Eat May Be the Key to a Longer Life
Credit: iStock Age-related diseases—including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes—are a growing problem worldwide as people live longer lives. Promoting healthy aging is important, but the best intervention for healthy aging identified so far—eating fewer calories (calorie restriction)—is often too difficult for people to follow. A potential alternative lies in the growing realization that “a calorie … Continue reading What and When We Eat May Be the Key to a Longer Life
Spotlight On: Menopause
Credit: iStock Menopause is a stage in a person’s life when their menstrual cycle stops. The average age in the U.S. is 52. During this time, the ovaries stop producing estrogen and progesterone—hormones that regulate the reproductive cycle and support pregnancy—marking the end of reproductive function. After going without a period for 12 consecutive months, … Continue reading Spotlight On: Menopause
Small but Mighty: How Telomeres Could Control Vascular Aging
Credit: iStock As we get older, our cardiovascular system changes dramatically. Specifically, our blood vessels become stiffer and lose some of their ability to relax. This is known as endothelial dysfunction. Scientists debate and propose many theories about the specific causes of endothelial dysfunction with aging. Recently, telomeres have become a hot research topic. Telomeres … Continue reading Small but Mighty: How Telomeres Could Control Vascular Aging
The Key to Reversing Aging: Folded Mitochondria?
Credit: iStock Getting older is a fact of life. As we age, we can grow bigger, smarter and stronger. But at a certain point, our bodies often start to slow down. The idea behind why we age and why our bodies slow down is that we start to lose the ability to make enough energy … Continue reading The Key to Reversing Aging: Folded Mitochondria?