Heart Surgeon Dr Subodh Verma Explains The Importance Of Exercise To Slow Down Muscle Ageing

As we age, losing muscle mass and strength is a natural part of life, but it doesn't have to happen as quickly as many people think. Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to preserve healthy muscles, maintain mobility and support long-term independence. Beyond building strength, emerging research suggests that staying physically active may even help keep your muscles biologically younger, making movement an essential investment in healthy ageing.

According to Dr Verma, exercise not only strengthens your muscles but may also help keep your muscle cells younger. He cites a new study that used advanced technology to examine human skeletal muscle at the cellular level, revealing how muscle cells change with age and how regular exercise can help counteract these age-related changes.

He highlights, “What if I told you that exercise not only makes your muscles stronger, but it actually may make your muscle cells younger? Well, a brand new study in Nature Aging looked deep inside human skeletal muscle and it used really advanced cellular ways to study these cells in the muscle.”

Dr Verma states that the study found the expected signs of ageing in older adults who did not exercise regularly. In contrast, older adults who were physically active had muscle profiles that appeared significantly younger, even at the cellular level. The researchers also found that higher fitness levels were linked to a stronger ability to respond to muscle stress.

The heart surgeon explains, “In old adults who were not trained, the researchers saw that the expected ageing patterns were seen: lower signals for cellular respiration, lower mitochondrial function, and lower energy metabolism. In plain English, the muscle power plants were not working as well. But in trained older adults, their muscle profiles looked much like younger adults at the cellular level. In addition, and most remarkably, the stronger the fitness level, the stronger and more coordinated the response was to stress.”

Dr Verma emphasises that the key takeaway is that exercise is about far more than simply burning calories. According to him, physical activity signals your muscles to preserve energy, protect their mitochondria, manage cellular stress and remain resilient, all of which may help slow the ageing process.

He highlights, “Exercise is not just about burning calories; it's a molecular signal. It tells your muscles to preserve energy, protect your mitochondria, manage stress, and stay resilient. Well, friends, ageing is real and inevitable. All of us are going to get old. But this study reminds us that movement can alter that response. So, exercise and train today and in many ways invest in shaping your future self.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

Eshana Saha is a fresh face in lifestyle and cultural journalism, bringing a refined, multidisciplinary perspective to the intersection of entertainment, fashion and holistic wellbeing. With less than a year of professional experience, she has quickly adapted to high-pressure editorial environments and currently works full-time with HT Media. Prior to this, she interned for nearly six months with Hindustan Times’ entertainment and lifestyle vertical, where she gained hands-on experience in digital reporting, trend analysis and editorial storytelling. Based in New Delhi, Eshana specialises in comprehensive coverage of major cultural moments — from international film press tours to the curated aesthetics of global fashion showcases, award shows and music-centred events. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from St Xavier’s University, Kolkata, and a Master’s degree in English from the University of Delhi, equipping her with a strong academic foundation and a keen ability to deconstruct complex cultural trends into clear, high-impact narratives. Beyond the red carpet, Eshana has developed a growing focus on health and wellbeing reporting. She bridges the gap between celebrity-driven trends and practical, evidence-informed lifestyle advice, ensuring her work remains both aspirational and grounded in editorial rigour. She has extensively covered the health implications of Delhi’s air pollution crisis, while also playing a key role in amplifying expert-led insights on women’s health and mental wellbeing, helping translate complex medical perspectives into informed, impactful public awareness. An artist at heart, she explores multiple creative forms — from visual arts and music to culinary experiments — and brings a creative’s eye for nuance, texture and detail to every story. Whether analysing runway dynamics or examining emerging wellness movements, she remains committed to accuracy and the highest standards of contemporary journalistic ethics.Read More