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Long-term training induces a healthy inflammatory and endocrine emergent biomarker profile in elderly men

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Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the changes in a large panel of emergent geriatric biomarkers in long-term trained elderly men to analyze the effects of long-term exercise on an aged population. We collected blood samples from two groups of male volunteers older than 65 years who maintain a measure of functional independence: one group of sedentary subjects without a history of regular physical activity and the other of subjects who have sustained training, starting during adulthood (mean training time = 49 ± 8 years). We studied morbidity, polypharmacy, cellular and serological inflammatory parameters, and endocrine mediators. After adjusting for confounding factors, we observed reduced medication intake per subject and lower number of diseases per subject with statistical differences nearly significant in the long-term exercise group. We showed that long-term training was associated with lower levels of white blood cell counts, neutrophil counts, interleukin-6, interleukin-10, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, and soluble TNF receptor-I. Furthermore, we noted an increase in the concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 and dehydroepiandrosterone in the long-term training group. We concluded that long-term exercise training from adulthood to old age is clearly associated with a healthy profile of emergent geriatric biomarkers. Long-term training could improve the inflammatory–endocrine imbalance associated with disease, frailty, functional decline, and mortality in elderly men. Our results point to the benefits of prolonged exercise from adulthood to old age.

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Acknowledgments

Part of this investigation has been awarded with the second place in XIII National Sport Medicine Research Award 2010 from Spain. The authors thank the Residencia Santa Teresa personnel for their excellent work. We also want to thank the Hospital Monte Naranco. We are part of the INPROTEOLYS group and national net RETICEF for Aging Studies. This work was partly supported by the following grants: FISS-06-RD06/0013/0011 from the Instituto Carlos III, INIA-070RTA2007-00087-C02-02 from the Ministerio de Agricultura and FEDER funds, and FICYT IB09-134 from the Gobierno del Principado de Asturias. David de Gonzalo Calvo is a FICYT pre-doctoral fellow from the Gobierno del Principado de Asturias. Marina García-Macia is a FISS pre-doctoral fellow from Instituto de Salud Carlos III.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Morphology and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oviedo, Julián Clavería s/n, 33006, Oviedo, Spain

    David de Gonzalo-Calvo, Benjamín Fernández-García, Beatriz de Luxán-Delgado, Susana Rodríguez-González, Marina García-Macia, María Josefa Rodríguez-Colunga & Ana Coto-Montes

  2. Regional Health Ministry of Principado de Asturias, 33001, Oviedo, Spain

    Francisco Manuel Suárez

  3. Geriatrics Service, Monte Naranco Hospital, 33012, Oviedo, Spain

    Juan José Solano

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  1. David de Gonzalo-Calvo
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  2. Benjamín Fernández-García
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  3. Beatriz de Luxán-Delgado
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  4. Susana Rodríguez-González
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  5. Marina García-Macia
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  6. Francisco Manuel Suárez
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  7. Juan José Solano
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  8. María Josefa Rodríguez-Colunga
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  9. Ana Coto-Montes
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Correspondence to David de Gonzalo-Calvo or Ana Coto-Montes.

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de Gonzalo-Calvo, D., Fernández-García, B., de Luxán-Delgado, B. et al. Long-term training induces a healthy inflammatory and endocrine emergent biomarker profile in elderly men. AGE 34, 761–771 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-011-9266-9

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