Regular Cycling Keeps You Young and Your Immune System Strong: Study
Cycling regularly may help keep you rejuvenated, young and disease-free, claims a new study. The study published in the journal Aging Cell, revealed that those who cycle enough can delay the onset of diseases normally associated with middle-age or old age by strengthening your immunity system as compared to those who are healthy, but did not exercise regularly. For the study scientists examined 125 amateur cyclists aged 55 to 79.
Thymus gland which makes immune cells called T-cells begin to shrink with time, typically after the age of 20. But in cyclists, the production of T cells was found to be more than their peers who did not cycle.
The analysis revealed that cycling can help preserve muscle mass and strength with age while maintaining stable levels of body fat and cholesterol. Interestingly, the anti-ageing effects of cycling also extended itself on to the immune system. According to the scientists, cycling can help keep the immune system young too and also boost testosterone levels in men.
For the study male cyclists in the study had to be able to cycle 100km in under 6.5 hours, while women had to cover 60km in 5.5 hours. 75 healthy people aged 57 to 80 and 55 young adults aged 20 to 36 were part of the non-exercising group.
Source: NDTV, https://www.ndtv.com/food/regular-cycling-keeps-you-young-and-your-immune-system-strong-study-1821710 (09/02/2018)
