The power of exercise: buffering the effect of chronic stress on telomere length.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Cross-sectional observational study
PubMed 20520771 · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0010837
What was done
Researchers measured whole blood telomere length using quantitative PCR in 63 healthy post-menopausal women after a fasting morning blood draw. Participants completed the Perceived Stress Scale and logged daily minutes of vigorous physical activity over three consecutive days. Women were categorized as sedentary or active based on CDC physical activity guidelines. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the odds of having short versus long telomeres based on stress and exercise category, controlling for age, BMI, and education.
What was found
Exercise significantly moderated the relationship between perceived stress and telomere length. Among sedentary women, a one-unit increase on the Perceived Stress Scale was associated with a 15-fold increase in the odds of having short telomeres (p < .05). Among active women, perceived stress showed no significant association with telomere length (B = -0.59, SE = 0.78, p = .45).
Why it matters
The findings suggest that regular vigorous physical activity may buffer the cellular aging effects associated with psychological stress in post-menopausal women.
Limits
The sample was small (n = 63) and restricted to healthy post-menopausal women, limiting generalizability. Physical activity was self-reported over only three days. The cross-sectional design cannot establish causality or determine whether exercise directly prevents telomere shortening over time.
Cited by
- supports High-stress caregivers who engage in approximately 10 minutes of daily vigorous walking do not show the shorter telomeres seen in sedentary high-stress caregivers.