A new Israeli study claims it is possible to lessen, and even possibly avoid the rigors and pains of old age -- all by regular exercise.
Details of the study, conducted at Tel Aviv University's (TAU) Sackler School of Medicine, were reported this week by the Israel21C news site.
The secret to aging "gracefully," says Prof. Dafna Benayahu, is in slowing the loss of muscle mass, a fixed and almost inevitable companion of aging.
Cardio-workouts, such as jogging, bicycling and spinning, Benayahu said, help increase the number of muscle stem cells while strengthening their ability to rejuvenate old muscles.
She claimed the study explains for the first time, why older folks who adhered to an exercise regime throughout their lives, are reaping the benefits now.
"The muscles and skeleton in our bodies work jointly," Benayahu explained.
"When we age, we experience sarcopenia, a decline in mass and function of muscles, and osteopenia, which is bone loss."
"As a result, our musculoskeletal system is more susceptible to daily wear and tear, which also explains the increased risk of falling in the elderly," she says in the report.
But exercise in itself isn't enough to slow down aging, or its effects on the body, said the report.
Benayahu and her team conducted their experiments on laboratory rats, and expressed their hope that the new study will lead to formulating a new drug that would assist in healing aging muscles faster.
"With this advance, we can dream about a drug for humans that could increase muscle mass and ameliorate the negative effects of aging," says Benayahu, "as well as help the elderly and immobilized to heal their muscles faster."