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Exercise and hormesis: oxidative stress-related adaptation for successful aging

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Abstract

The hormesis theory purports that biological systems respond with a bell-shaped curve to exposure to chemicals, toxins, and radiation. Here we extend the hormesis theory to include reactive oxygen species (ROS). We further suggest that the beneficial effects of regular exercise are partly based on the ROS generating capability of exercise, which is in the stimulation range of ROS production. Therefore, we suggest that exercise-induced ROS production plays a role in the induction of antioxidants, DNA repair and protein degrading enzymes, resulting in decreases in the incidence of oxidative stress-related diseases and retardation of the aging process.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Exercise Physiology Laboratory, School of Sport Science, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

    Zsolt Radak

  2. Department of Pharmacology, Pusan National University, Korea

    Hae Young Chung

  3. Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toho University, Funabashi, Japan

    Sataro Goto

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  1. Zsolt Radak
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  2. Hae Young Chung
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  3. Sataro Goto
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Correspondence to Zsolt Radak.

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Radak, Z., Chung, H.Y. & Goto, S. Exercise and hormesis: oxidative stress-related adaptation for successful aging. Biogerontology 6, 71–75 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10522-004-7386-7

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