September 25, 2026, 11:55 am | Read time: 7 minutes
Most people wish to stay healthy and fit for as long as possible. Lifestyle habits, which can be actively shaped, have a significant impact on this. A small study now shows that regular exercise could help maintain vitality even in old age–and thus positively influence aging from age 55 onward. FITBOOK also asked an expert how he assesses the connection between exercise and biological aging based on his practical experience.
Longevity is a topic that increasingly concerns people. It refers to the desire to stay healthy and fit for as long as possible–or in short, to slow down the aging process. Various modifiable factors play a role in this, including a balanced diet, sufficient sleep, and regular exercise. Exercise, in particular, affects numerous areas of the body: the musculoskeletal system, the cardiovascular system, the organs, and metabolism. But what type of exercise and what intensity can particularly support healthy aging? A French study showed that healthy adults over 55 who had been doing endurance sports regularly for 30 years had better vitality scores than their inactive peers.1
What Exactly Did the Study Investigate?
To examine the relationship between regular exercise and vitality scores, French researchers from the University of Côte d’Azur recruited 39 adults from the Nice region with an average age of about 64 years. None of the participants suffered from a chronic illness or took medication.
Nineteen of the study participants had been doing endurance training at least three times a week for about 30 years. They completed either at least 2.5 hours of moderate workouts or half that time in intense training each week. The other 20 participants had never been active in sports. They reported being active for no more than 75 minutes in their leisure time each week. The researchers verified the activity differences between the two groups using questionnaires and an activity tracker.
Researchers Used the Concept of Vitality Capacity
To determine the differences between the two participant groups, the researchers used the concept of vitality capacity. This refers to a physiological reserve of the body in terms of its vitality or health and fitness. It is assessed using 12 different biomarkers that evaluate three vitality areas:
- Immune and stress response
- Energy and metabolism
- Neuromuscular functions
The theory is that lifelong physical activity can maintain the physiological reserve in these vitality areas. Therefore, the French researchers used the 12 biomarkers to determine and compare the health differences between the two participant groups.
How Physical Activity Influences Aging
In evaluating the data, the researchers not only compared the individual biomarker values but also combined them into a vitality score that reflects the aforementioned vitality capacity. The healthy adults over 55 who had been exercising regularly for 30 years performed better than their inactive peers. The most significant difference was not in pure muscle strength but in the area of immune and stress response–specifically in blood oxygen levels and heart rate variability (HRV). Both values are used to assess this adaptability.
The physically active participants had an average blood oxygen saturation of 96.8 percent, compared to 94.8 percent in the inactive group. Their heart rate variability was 49.9 milliseconds compared to 27.2 milliseconds in the inactive group. Interestingly, older participants tended to have lower values than younger ones. Since the researchers only examined each participant once, they cannot say whether the vitality capacity decreased over time in the same individuals.
When comparing genders, it was found that active women had more lean mass and less body fat than inactive women. However, there were no comparable correlations among men.
The Active Group Did Not Perform Better in All Biomarkers
Interestingly, the physically active participants did not perform better in all measurements than the inactive group. There were no significant differences in inflammatory markers. Similarly, there were no significant differences in grip strength, knee strength, and lung function. And in terms of energy and metabolism as well as nerve and muscle function, there was no clear difference overall. Even in the participants’ self-assessment of their immune health, the two groups were on a similar level.
Older Study Confirms Positive Aspects
An earlier study had already examined how aerobic activities affect the health of older individuals.2 The significant difference here: While the current French study focused exclusively on healthy subjects, a study from 2020 examined chronically ill patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether a 12-week, individually tailored endurance training program in a rehabilitation center, combined with motivational phone calls, is effective. It aimed to increase physical activity and health-related physical fitness in middle-aged and older people with chronic illnesses.
For the randomized controlled study, 43 participants aged 40 and older were recruited and randomly assigned to different groups. One group had to complete the 12-week endurance training, while the other group served as a control group without physical activity. Health-related data were collected at the start of the study and after 12 weeks.
Even after the 12-week training, the active group showed better overall fitness, with higher grip strength and higher VO2 max values.
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Conclusion and Limitations of the Study
The new French study with 39 participants suggests that regular exercise can help maintain vitality even in old age–and thus positively influence aging. However, the sample size is small. Additionally, the study participants were not followed and repeatedly examined over decades but were subjected to a one-time examination and survey. Important factors such as genetics, social, and economic status were also not included or compared.
Another important aspect: The physically inactive group was unusually healthy despite low physical activity. This may have led to the groups performing similarly well in vitality scores. Lastly, the vitality capacity determined here is a new concept for assessing health. Therefore, more in-depth long-term studies are needed in the future to determine exactly how physical activity influences aging.
Exercise and Vitality–A Trainer’s Practical Experience
“Compared to people who do not exercise, regular endurance athletes often show better health values. This includes, for example, blood pressure, resting pulse, and the body’s ability to recover after physical exertion,” says sports scientist and personal trainer Jörn Giersberg from years of experience. “Additionally, many of them appear more balanced, healthier, and often fitter. Regular exercise often goes hand in hand with other positive habits, such as a more conscious diet. Of course, there are also endurance athletes who eat unhealthily or are overweight. Nevertheless, even among them, certain vitality values often show better results than in people who do not exercise at all. In my view, there are clear differences. This is not just theory or a textbook statement, but something that can be clearly observed in practice. Those who engage in regular endurance sports over the years generally benefit from noticeable health advantages.”
Giersberg can also well imagine that endurance sports can directly influence biological aging. “Training initially stresses the body. Energy reserves are depleted, muscle fibers experience small strains, and the organism is challenged. However, the actual adaptation begins after training: The body repairs the stressed structures and rebuilds them stronger. This process is facilitated by protein synthesis and supported by a suitable diet. As a result, the body constantly renews itself. One could say that regular training represents a kind of internal anti-aging program. In my view, it is even one of the most effective forms of anti-aging,” explains the expert. Additionally, regular exercise has been proven to help prevent various diseases. There are now numerous studies on this. Exercise activates processes in the immune system that benefit health in the long term.