Exercise

Intervention7 papers24 findingsMeSH D015444

Human trials show that exercise improves physical function, reduces systemic inflammatory markers, decreases epicardial adipose volume, and slows epigenetic aging. A mouse study demonstrates protection against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, whereas a study in flies reports sex- and time-dependent effects on lifespan.

Human trial2
Humans1
Animals2
Model organisms1

Outcomes

Cellular senescence

downin mice1downin reviews1

2 studies

Exercise decreases cellular senescence in mice.
Animalsdoxorubicin treatmentheart
Exercise protects mouse hearts from chemotherapy toxicity by suppressing cellular senescence · Research Square · 29 Sep 2026 · Preprint
Exercise decreases cellular senescence.
Review
Integrated Multi-Omics Network by Physical Exercise Across Aging: Molecular Adaptation Beyond Single Signaling Pathways · Physiological genomics · 21 Sep 2026

Cellular senescence →

Lifespan

downin flies1upin flies1−84% to +35%

1 study

Exercise shortens lifespan in flies (~67%).
Model organismsat ZT6 (siesta time)motor stimulationfemales
The circadian clock: an important factor modifying the effect of physical activity on the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster · Acta neurobiologiae experimentalis · 14 Sep 2026
Exercise shortens lifespan in flies (~20%).
Model organismsat ZT6 (siesta time)motor stimulationmales
The circadian clock: an important factor modifying the effect of physical activity on the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster · Acta neurobiologiae experimentalis · 14 Sep 2026
Exercise shortens lifespan in flies (~84%).
Model organismsat ZT1 (morning activity peak)motor stimulationfemales
The circadian clock: an important factor modifying the effect of physical activity on the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster · Acta neurobiologiae experimentalis · 14 Sep 2026
Exercise extends lifespan in flies (~35%).
Model organismsat ZT1 (morning activity peak)motor stimulationmales
The circadian clock: an important factor modifying the effect of physical activity on the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster · Acta neurobiologiae experimentalis · 14 Sep 2026

DNAmFitAge

downin humans1

1 study

Exercise decreases DNAmFitAge in humans.
Human trialin breast cancer survivorsremotely deliveredwhole blood12 monthsfemalesn = 124
Exercise slows epigenetic aging in breast cancer survivors · Journal of the National Cancer Institute · 30 Sep 2026

DNAmFitAge →

GrimAge2

downin humans1

1 study

Exercise decreases GrimAge2 in humans.
Human trialin breast cancer survivorsremotely deliveredwhole blood12 monthsfemalesn = 124
Exercise slows epigenetic aging in breast cancer survivors · Journal of the National Cancer Institute · 30 Sep 2026

GrimAge2 →

Cardiotoxicity

downin mice1

1 study

Exercise protects against cardiotoxicity in mice.
Animalsdoxorubicin treatmentheart
Exercise protects mouse hearts from chemotherapy toxicity by suppressing cellular senescence · Research Square · 29 Sep 2026 · Preprint

Cardiotoxicity →

Physical function

upin humans1

1 study

Exercise improves physical function in humans.
“In a pilot intervention study, PBMC autophagy flux decreased following 12 weeks of mild exercise in parallel with improved physical function”
Human trialmild exercise12 weeks
Autophagy flux varies by sex and cell type during human aging · Aging cell · 28 Sep 2026

Autophagy flux

downin humans1

1 study

Exercise decreases autophagy flux in humans.
“In a pilot intervention study, PBMC autophagy flux decreased following 12 weeks of mild exercise in parallel with improved physical function”
Human trialmild exerciseperipheral blood mononuclear cell12 weeks
Autophagy flux varies by sex and cell type during human aging · Aging cell · 28 Sep 2026

Autophagy flux →

NMJ integrity

downin reviews1

1 study

Exercise protects against NMJ integrity.
Reviewwith agingneuromuscular junction
Exercise-driven neuromuscular junction plasticity: integrating motor-neuron adaptation, synaptic remodeling, and glial support · Neuroscience · 26 Sep 2026

Redox balance

upin humans1

1 study

Exercise improves redox balance in humans.
Human trialin a limited number of trials
Impact of supervised physical exercise on inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · The Gerontologist · 24 Sep 2026

IL-10

upin humans1

1 study

Exercise increases IL-10 in humans.
Human trial8 weeks to 12 months
Impact of supervised physical exercise on inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · The Gerontologist · 24 Sep 2026

IL-10 →

All 19

C-reactive protein

downin humans1

1 study

Exercise decreases C-reactive protein in humans.
Human trial8 weeks to 12 months
Impact of supervised physical exercise on inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials · The Gerontologist · 24 Sep 2026

C-reactive protein →

Autophagy

upin reviews1

1 study

Exercise improves autophagy.
Reviewin sarcopenic obesity
Autophagy in sarcopenic obesity: muscle-adipose crosstalk, metabolic regulation, and exercise-based interventions · Metabolism: clinical and experimental · 24 Sep 2026

Autophagy →

Functional decline

downin humans1

1 study

Exercise prevents functional decline in humans.
Review
The exercise-gut-muscle axis in physical frailty: A narrative review · JAR life · 23 Sep 2026

Muscle function

upin humans1

1 study

Exercise improves muscle function in humans.
Reviewskeletal muscle
The exercise-gut-muscle axis in physical frailty: A narrative review · JAR life · 23 Sep 2026

Epigenetic alterations

downin reviews1

1 study

Exercise decreases epigenetic alterations.
Review
Integrated Multi-Omics Network by Physical Exercise Across Aging: Molecular Adaptation Beyond Single Signaling Pathways · Physiological genomics · 21 Sep 2026

Epigenetic alterations →

Loss of proteostasis

downin reviews1

1 study

Exercise decreases loss of proteostasis.
Review
Integrated Multi-Omics Network by Physical Exercise Across Aging: Molecular Adaptation Beyond Single Signaling Pathways · Physiological genomics · 21 Sep 2026

Loss of proteostasis →

CSF1

downin humans1

1 study

Exercise decreases CSF1 in humans (-1.75 pg/mL, 95% CI -3.34 to -0.16).
Human trialversus health education controlstructured exerciseserumone supervised session plus at least two home-based sessions weekly12 months
Structured exercise reduces heart fat and an inflammatory marker in older adults · Frontiers in public health · 16 Sep 2026

CSF1 →

Epicardial adipose volume

downin humans1

1 study

Exercise decreases epicardial adipose volume in humans (-15.15 mL, 95% CI -22.61 to -7.69).
Human trialversus health education controlstructured exerciseepicardial adipose tissueone supervised session plus at least two home-based sessions weekly12 months
Structured exercise reduces heart fat and an inflammatory marker in older adults · Frontiers in public health · 16 Sep 2026

Epicardial adipose volume →

PPARGC1A

upin humans1

1 study

Exercise activates PPARGC1A in humans.
“Exercise opposes this cascade through the AMPK-PGC-1α axis, which coordinately activates four mitochondrial quality control (MQC) modules: biogenesis, antioxidant defense, dynamics, and mitophagy.”
Reviewvia AMPK-PGC-1α axisrepeated training
Mitochondrial Quality Control Links Exercise to Sterile Inflammation in the Cardiovascular System: A Narrative Review · Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) · 7 Sep 2026

PPARGC1A →