Authors: Kurt A. Escobar, Nathan H. Cole, Christine M. Mermier, Trisha A. VanDusseldorp (2018)
Published in: Aging Cell
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.12876
Objective:
To explain how exercise and eating fewer calories (without being malnourished) can help our cells stay healthy as we get older by using a natural cleanup process called autophagy.
Key Findings:
· Aging Causes Cell Damage:
o As people get older, bad or damaged proteins and cell parts build up, which can harm cells.
· Autophagy is the Cell’s Cleanup Crew:
o Autophagy is a process that breaks down and recycles these damaged parts to keep cells working well.
· Exercise and Caloric Restriction Help:
o Regular exercise and a controlled calorie diet lower the activity of a protein complex called TORC1.
o Lower TORC1 activity boosts autophagy, helping clear out damaged proteins.
· Common Benefits:
o Both exercise and eating fewer calories work through similar signals in the body (like AMPK and SIRT1) to increase autophagy.
o This helps maintain a healthier collection of proteins in the cell, which can slow down aging.
Conclusion:
· Exercise and a proper, lower-calorie diet can help clean up damaged cell parts.
· These lifestyle changes support our cells to work better and may help us live healthier and longer lives.
· More studies are needed to understand exactly how these changes work in people.
Disclaimer:
This summary is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always talk to a doctor before making changes to your exercise or diet.
Escobar KA, Cole NH, Mermier CM, VanDusseldorp TA. Autophagy and aging: Maintaining the proteome through exercise and caloric restriction. Aging Cell. 2019; 18:e12876. https://doi.org/10.1111/acel.12876
