Study summary · research use only
Impact of Physical Exercise on Endocrine Aging
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This review discusses the impact of physical exercise on the endocrine system during aging in humans. The review states exercise induces activity of the growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor-1 axis, producing anabolic effects in skeletal muscle, and that mechano growth factor (MGF), a locally produced isoform of IGF-1, has been hypothesized to be important for maintaining skeletal muscle with aging. Short-term high-resistance exercise was reported to increase MGF mRNA in young but not elderly subjects. The review states reported changes in circulating sex steroid hormones after exercise in men are mixed and inconsistent, that exercise and reduced body fat may decrease circulating sex hormones in elderly women, and that hypothalamic-pituitary axis changes with aging may be modified by aerobic training, while chronic exercise does not alter circulating cortisol in elderly subjects.
Abstract
Physical exercise may be vital to the maintenance of the endocrine system with aging and its helps to restore loss of activity of the endocrine system with aging. There is evidence that physical exercise induces activity of the growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor-1 axis and so produces anabolic effects in skeletal muscles. Mechano growth factor (MGF), a locally produced isoform of IGF-1, has been hypothesized to be important for the maintenance of skeletal muscles with aging. Short-term high-resistance exercise results in an increase of MGF mRNA in young but not in elderly subjects. Reported changes in levels of circulating sex steroid hormones in men after different types of (acute and chronic) physical exercise are mixed and not consistent. In addition, physical exercise may increase local effects of sex steroid hormones, and this may be more important than levels of circulating sex steroids for the maintenance and function of skeletal muscles. In elderly women, both increased physical exercise and reduced body fat may decrease levels of circulating sex hormones. Aging is further associated with changes in the dynamic functions of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, but these changes may be attenuated/modified by aerobic training. Chronic exercise does not alter circulating cortisol levels in elderly subjects.
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