I Started to Feel Different After 35... The Secret to "Aging Slowly" Lies with Athletes

Peak Physical Abilities Reached Around Age 35
Exercise Can Slow the Rate of Aging

A study has found that human physical abilities begin to decline around the age of 35. However, it was also confirmed that fitness can be improved through exercise at any age. While exercise cannot reverse aging, it can slow down the rate of aging.

Recently, the international journal 'Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle' published the results of a study on physical aging led by a research team from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. The study tracked several hundred men and women born in 1958 (222 men and 205 women) over 47 years, from ages 16 to 63, to observe how their physical abilities-such as fitness, muscle strength, and muscular endurance-changed over time.

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The results showed that both men and women reached their peak physical abilities before the age of 36. It was also confirmed that all physical fitness indicators declined rapidly after the age of 40.

Specifically, the average annual rate of decline in physical ability was less than 1% during the first ten years after reaching the peak, but during the final decade of observation, from ages 53 to 63, the annual decline accelerated to 2%. Compared to the average peak age, the loss of physical ability by age 63 was 37% (ranging from 30% to 48%) for both men and women.

The decline in physical ability was the same for both elite athletes and the general population. However, the rate of decline was much lower for athletes than for non-athletes. For the general population, aerobic capacity and muscular endurance dropped to about 65% of their peak by age 63, whereas athletes of the same age maintained over 80% of their peak levels.

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This means that consistent exercise can slow the rate of aging. In particular, those who were physically active at age 16 maintained higher levels of aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, and muscle strength throughout their lives. Forming exercise habits during adolescence and early adulthood greatly increases the likelihood of enjoying a healthy life over the long term.

Maria Westerstahl, Professor of Clinical Laboratory Medicine and lead author of the study, emphasized, "It is never too late to start exercising," adding, "This study clearly shows that while physical activity cannot completely prevent the decline in physical abilities, it can slow the rate of decline."

She further stated, "Everyone reaches their peak physical ability around the age of 35, but we plan to conduct further research to understand why exercise can slow, but not completely stop, the decline in physical abilities."