I’m so glad I’m not a mouse.
Especially when I read about a study like this one. (I’m keeping my comments short so you have time to read the NYT article.)
The mice in this study have a genetic mutation that makes them age at an accelerated pace. (If you weren’t already happy you aren’t a mouse…) Researchers took these mice and separated them into two groups: exercisers and non-exercisers.
The exercising mice at 3 months of age (the human equivalent of age 20) were allowed to run briskly on a wheel for 45 minutes three times a week for five months.
The non-exercising mice were left to age at their (mutated) “normal” pace. After 8 months (human equivalent of 60 years) they were extremely frail and decrepit.
The exercising mice were still youthful and maintained almost all of their muscle mass and brain volume.
Good work, exercising mice!
So who’s up for some quality exercise today? I am, after reading this!
