Cycling and Regular Exercise Renew the Immune System

Physical activity is declining worldwide. Cycling or walking is strongly recommended to add activity to daily life. Why does an active life matter so much? How do regular cycling or walking put us ahead?

In April 2017, BMJpublished a population-based prospective study of 263 thousand participants, reporting that active living, particularly for women, was associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk. Effects on lifespan and cancer are also important. The large British investigation examined associations between activities and cardiovascular disease, cancer and all-cause death. Cycling and walking stood out. Regular cycling reduced all-cause mortality by more than 40%, and cancer and heart disease risks by 45%.

Exercise Can Prevent Aging from Making Us More Frail and Weak

Cycling may slow aging and renew immunity. Researchers compared people aged 55-79, 125 amateur cyclists, with healthy adults not exercising regularly. Aging Cell published two papers showing cyclists preserved body fat and cholesterol levels, muscle mass and endurance against aging. Men also had higher testosterone. Surprisingly, anti-aging effects extended to immunity.

The thymus, involved in producing immune T cells, normally begins shrinking from age 20. Yet older cyclists' thymuses produced at least as many T cells as young people's.

• Exercise extends life more than many diets and medications

Even Hippocrates, the father of medicine living in the 400s BC, called exercise the best medicine. This knowledge was lost over time as we became increasingly sedentary.

Many studies support that people cycling regularly and doing so in a community / group have stronger mental as well as physical health, are happier and less prone to depression than people using other transport.

• WANTING TO exercise is at least as important as exercising