Jogging can raise energy, improve metabolic health in older adults

While running can be taxing on the joints and the heart, older adults could greatly benefit from jogging just 30 minutes a day, three times a week.

A study from researchers at Humbolt State University and the University of Colorado found that adults over the age of 65 were more likely to have higher energy levels when walking if they jogged, too.

The "metabolic cost," or the amount of energy needed to move, was lower in joggers. This finding may be key for older adults, as decline in walking has been shown to be a key predictor of morbidity in this age group.

Healthier mitochondria

Researchers aren't entirely sure what makes joggers more metabolically sound than non-joggers, but it might have to do with the mitochondria found in their cells, the study authors said - people who exercise more vigorously have healthier mitochondria.

"The bottom line is that running keeps you younger, at least in terms of efficiency," said study co-author Rodger Kram, a Professor of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Future research will be aimed at understanding whether or not other aerobic activities, like cycling or swimming, also improve metabolic cost in older adults.

The study is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Source: Humbolt State University