Beginners and Beyond

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Want to live longer? Run an Ultra (Read 91 times)

LRB


     

    Apparently, running ultra-marathons can help you live longer by protecting your chromosomes.

     

    From an article published on Runners Health:

     

    Telomeres are DNA proteins that cap the end of your chromosomes to protect them. They become shorter with each cell division unless they are restored by an enzyme called telomerase. Unfortunately, most of our cells do not have enough telomerase to restore them completely, and eventually they become so short that the cell cannot divide anymore, becomes dysfunctional and dies.

     

    Shorter telomeres are associated with numerous diseases and a higher mortality rate.

     

    Scientists therefore consider their length as a measure of your biological age. It is determined by your genes (some of us are born with longer ones) and by the rate at which they are shortening.

     

    Several studies have shown that a healthy lifestyle is associated with longer telomeres, probably by stimulating telomerase.

     

    Physical exercise

    Most scientists agree that physical exercise is good for your telomeres, but they do not know what the optimal or safe amount is.  A study by Ludlow has suggested that very heavy physical activity is associated with shorter telomere length, just as a sedentary lifestyle is, while life-long moderate physical activity is linked to longer telomeres. This would mean that extreme endurance exercise is bad for you.

     

    The telomeres of ultra-marathon runners

    Joshua Denham and his colleagues examined the telomeres of 67 ultra-marathon runners and compared them with those of 56 healthy men of the same age. They noticed that the runners had significantly longer ones. Biologically the runners would be about 16.2 years younger than the more sedentary men, and the researchers concluded that ultra-endurance exercise can slow the aging of your cells down.

     

    They also showed that this was independent of the traditional risk factors such as cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure.

     

    Can I believe this?

    Denham’s study is stronger than previous ones because it is bigger, the age range of the participants is larger and the runners perform a higher amount of aerobic exercise.

     

    Just as the other ones, it is an observational study, which means that the scientists looked for an association between two findings, in this case endurance running and telomere length. It does not mean that one leads to the other, even though other studies have shown that endurance athletes live longer than the general population. It is possible that people born with longer telomeres are for some reason more likely to become endurance athletes. Based on these studies alone, there is no way that you can exclude this possibility.

     

    Joshua Denham did not have any information about the diet and psychological stress of the participants. It has been proven that both factors influence telomere length, and you could easily imagine that ultra-marathon runners are much stricter with their nutrition than more sedentary people.

     

    We obviously need more research to come to a definitive conclusion, but the difference between the ultra-runners and the others is so large that it has to make you think!

     

    Link to Runners Health article here.

      If you can actually survive the ultra race.

      Dave

      catwhoorg


      Labrat

        Do people with longer telomeres naturally graduate to extreme endurance exercise ?

         

        Its a correlation not causation.

        5K  20:23  (Vdot 48.7)   9/9/17

        10K  44:06  (Vdot 46.3)  3/11/17

        HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17

        FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18

         


        You Rang?

          Assuming, of course the ultra marathon doesn't kill you.... right?

           

          So how many ultra marathons do i have to run in order to live forever?

          Rick 

          PR: 5k 25:01 (10/15) 10k: 57:44 (7/14) HM: 1:57 (5/15) FM: 4:55 (1/15)

          Docket_Rocket


            If you can actually survive the ultra race.

             

            Ultras are just extended long runs.

             

            Having said that, I have only done a 50K, but still.

            Damaris

             

            As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

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            happylily


              I enjoy running, but not so much that I'd want to train more than the 10 weekly hours I put in it at the moment. Personally, I believe that to do well at ultras, one must be willing and able to run over 60-70 mpw, regularly. So, it's not for me, because I don't have the time, nor the interest. I'm fated for an early death and I'm ok with that.

              PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013

                      Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013

              18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010

              Love the Half


                There is also some evidence, although far from conclusive, that folks training for marathons or ultra marathons have a lower life expectancy than those who exercise just for fitness (say 20-25 miles per week).  That wouldn't be terribly surprising as too much of a good thing is sometimes not a good thing.  Mind you, it's all better than being sedentary.

                Short term goal: 17:59 5K

                Mid term goal:  2:54:59 marathon

                Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life.  (I started running at age 45).

                Birdwell


                   

                  Ultras are just extended long runs walks, shuffles or wog's.

                   

                  Having said that, I have only done a 50K, but still.

                   

                  FYP

                   

                  (and to the second point, when you do a 50 miler, I bet you'll use the exact same line Wink)

                  Gustav1


                  Fear is a Liar

                    I shall run myself into the grave chasing my 5k!

                    I'm so vegetarian I don't even eat animal crackers!

                    MadisonMandy


                    Refurbished Hip

                      I will say it's a lot easier to jog a 50K than it is really race a marathon.  Upwards of 50+ miles, you start to get a little beat up though.

                      Running is dumb.