A new study has revealed that lifting weights three times a week may significantly reduce a person’s biological age by approximately eight years, effectively making them appear younger by the same margin.
The research found that individuals who engage in strength training for one hour, three times per week, possess bodies that exhibit characteristics of much younger individuals.
Previously, weightlifting has been linked to improved bone and muscle health. However, this latest study, which examined 4,800 participants, suggests that regular weightlifting also contributes to a lower biological age.
The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) recommends that adults engage in daily physical activity, including either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week.
This study specifically explored the effects of weightlifting on the body by analysing the length of telomeres—protective DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes that prevent genetic material from deteriorating. Telomeres naturally shorten with age, and previous research has shown that individuals with longer telomeres tend to live longer.
Blood sample analysis from the study indicated that individuals who engage in regular physical activity, including weightlifting, have longer telomeres. Notably, the study highlighted that for every 10 minutes of weightlifting performed weekly, biological age was reduced by approximately five months. These benefits were observed across genders and all age groups.
Dr Larry Tucker, a professor of exercise science at Brigham Young University in the United States and the study’s lead researcher, stated that while the findings demonstrate a strong correlation between weightlifting and longer telomeres, causation cannot yet be confirmed.
Dr Tucker added that the study considered all forms of strength training, and the results suggest that any resistance exercise may contribute to telomere lengthening.
This groundbreaking research adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the wide-ranging benefits of strength training, making it an essential activity for improving health and longevity.
