Exercise delays aging: evidence from telomeres and telomerase -a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 40642293 · doi:10.3389/fphys.2025.1627292
What was done
Researchers systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed randomized controlled trials indexed in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase through February 2025. The review assessed the effects of exercise interventions on telomere length and telomerase activity. Trial quality was evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, and authors performed meta-analyses, subgroup analyses, univariate meta-regression, sensitivity analyses, and publication bias assessments.
What was found
Exercise interventions significantly maintained telomere length (SMD = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.14 to 1.06, P = 0.01) and increased telomerase activity (SMD = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.51, P < 0.00001). Aerobic exercise consistently increased telomerase activity (SMD = 0.33, P = 0.0001), whereas resistance exercise did not reach significance (SMD = 0.16, P = 0.43). A single study suggested high-intensity interval training maintained telomere length (SMD = 0.66, P = 0.01). Significant effects required an intervention duration of at least 16 weeks. Telomere length maintenance showed a trend toward larger effects in females (SMD = 0.48, P = 0.06) than in males (SMD = 0.38, P = 0.40). Heterogeneity for telomere length was high (I2 = 92%), partially accounted for by measurement method, age, and baseline health.
Why it matters
This review synthesizes randomized trial evidence showing that sustained exercise interventions of 16 weeks or longer can preserve telomere length and enhance telomerase activity, supporting exercise as a cellular anti-aging intervention.
Limits
The abstract does not report the total number of included studies or participants. Statistical heterogeneity for telomere length was very high (I2 = 92%), evidence for high-intensity interval training rested on a single trial, and telomere measurement methods varied across included studies.
Cited by
- supports Randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses show that aerobic training increases telomerase activity and increases telomere length in blood cells.