New Birmingham study shows the interaction between exercise-induced anti-inflammatory effects and metabolic health in older adults, improving healthy ageing.
Older adults living with conditions such as diabetes, obesity, or chronic inflammation could significantly improve their health through regular exercise, according to a comprehensive new analysis of 146 clinical trials. The findings show that even modest, consistent physical exercise can substantially reduce harmful inflammation and improve metabolic profile – two key drivers of age-related disease – offering a powerful, accessible tool for healthier ageing.
A team of medical students and researchers from the University of Birmingham and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre conducted the most comprehensive investigation to date of how exercise influences the biological ageing process.
Their study, published in Ageing Research Reviews, was conducted by Rocco Sheldon and supervised by Dr Amanda Sardeli, featuring collaborators from King’s College London, the University of Cambridge, and the University of Vassouras (Brazil). The team assessed data from thousands of adults aged 50 and over and found improvements in 19 out of 20 markers linked to metabolism and inflammation, making a compelling case for exercise as a cornerstone of healthy ageing.
Our analysis is the first to show how tightly linked metabolic and inflammatory improvements are in response to exercise as we age. What’s exciting is that these benefits appear even in people who don’t lose fat mass – but they are amplified in those who do. If older adults can commit to at least three exercise sessions a week, they can meaningfully change their biological trajectory.
The meta-analysis found that regular exercise lowers body weight, improve body composition (lower fat and higher muscle mass) and blood sugar control, reduces insulin resistance, improves cholesterol levels, enhances cardio-respiratory fitness, and decreases key inflammatory markers such as CRP, IL6, TNFα and leptin whilst increasing adiponectin and IGF-1.
Aerobic exercise – such as walking, swimming, or cycling – emerged as the most effective overall, while resistance training provided additional benefits for muscle-related hormones such as IGF-1.
Critically, the study demonstrates that older adults need to exercise at least three times per week to achieve meaningful biological improvements – a threshold not previously defined for changes in the metabolic and inflammatory profile. For programmes lasting longer than 24 weeks, twice-weekly exercise could still deliver significant benefits.
The study highlights how exercise acts simultaneously on multiple ageing pathways – reducing chronic low-grade inflammation (“inflammaging”) while also improving metabolic health. These combined effects lower the risk of a range of age-related conditions, from type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease to frailty and cognitive decline.
Notably, individuals with existing metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, along with people living with obesity, benefited more than healthy older adults – experiencing greater reductions in inflammatory markers and stronger improvements in blood sugar and cholesterol. Women also showed particularly strong anti-inflammatory response to exercise training.
Dr Amanda Sardeli, supervisor of the study, Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham’s Department of Inflammation and Ageing and researcher within the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre (BRC)’s Sarcopenia and Multimorbidity research theme, said: “Our analysis is the first to show how tightly linked metabolic and inflammatory improvements are in response to exercise as we age. What’s exciting is that these benefits appear even in people who don’t lose fat mass – but they are amplified in those who do. If older adults can commit to at least three exercise sessions a week, they can meaningfully change their biological trajectory.”
Based on the findings of this meta-analysis, the research team recommends that public health bodies, clinicians, and exercise professionals consider:
Professor Simon Jones, co-author of the study, Professor in Musculoskeletal Ageing at the University of Birmingham and lead for the NIHR Birmingham BRC’s Sarcopenia and Multimorbidity research theme, said: “This meta-analysis provides a powerful evidence base for prescribing exercise as a frontline therapy for age-related disease. As health systems worldwide struggle with rising multimorbidity in older populations, these findings underline that physical exercise is not just beneficial – it is essential.
“Aerobic exercise, in particular, offers profound improvements in inflammation and metabolic health. These evidence-backed guidelines could help shape personalised exercise prescriptions for a broad range of older adults – particularly those with chronic diseases who stand to benefit the most.”
Research Fellow
Staff profile for Dr Amanda Sardeli an exercise physiologist.
Professor in Musculoskeletal Ageing
Staff profile for Professor Simon Jones, Professor in Musculoskeletal Ageing, Department of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medicine and Health, The University of Birmingham.
