Most people are aware that exercise each provides significant benefits to one’s fitness level and cardiovascular health. However, there is a common misconception that it’s not safe for senior citizens in general. In fact, seniors can benefit from exercise just like their younger counterparts.
Functions of the Cardiovascular System During Exercise
The cardiovascular system serves five major functions during exercise. First, it carries oxygen to the active muscles, which helps them to break down glucose. Without the additional oxygen, the muscles aren’t able to break down the glucose and are likely to become fatigued. Then, they’ll produce lactic acid which can cause muscle pain and tenderness following exercise.
The cardiovascular system also oxygenates the blood during exercise by returning it to the lungs. It is also the system that helps to cool the body by releasing heat through the skin. Plus, the cardiovascular system is responsible for delivering nutrients to your working muscle tissue, giving it what it needs to continue to function. Finally, it carries hormones throughout the body that are created by the endocrine system during exercise.
Senior Citizens and Exercise
Often, people assume that because a person has reached a certain age, it’s no longer safe for them to exercise. However, a 1996 study conducted by Wayne Westcott, PhD and Jane Guy indicates otherwise. The study involved more than 1100 people in varying age groups between 21 and 80 during which each subject performed a similar exercise training program.
The study found that healthy senior citizens could benefit from exercise in the same way as young adults could. In fact, the seniors in the study experienced a similar average weight loss during the study (less than a one pound difference) and found that seniors were able to regenerate muscle tissue at the same rate as their younger counterparts.
And, while the seniors went into the study with a higher average blood pressure level than the younger subjects, they actually experienced a more significant drop in pressure during the program.
Bottom Line
Senior citizens who are healthy and who have been given medical clearance to exercise by their physicians can reduce weight, gain lean muscle and improve cardiovascular health significantly, even extending their own lives in the process.