Abstract
Dietary restriction (DR) slows the rate of aging in laboratory rodents but the mechanism of action is unknown. DR is known to induce beneficial effects in a variety of tissues and organ systems. DR also maintains high levels of physical activity over the life span. We tested the hypothesis that lifelong physical activity is an important component of the anti-aging action of DR. Male specific pathogen-free Fischer 344 rats were divided into 4 groups at 6 weeks of age: A: fed ad libitum; AE: fed ad libitum and in cages with running wheels; B: fed 60% ad libitum; BE: fed 60% ad libitum and in cages with running wheels. Running activity and spontaneous cage activity were measured over 24 hours and over the life span. Metabolic rate was measured indirectly by analysis of air entering and leaving cages. AE rats exhibited low levels of running activity and ran very little beyond 6 months of age. In contrast, BE rats sustained high running levels even after all A and AE rats had died. High levels of wheel running did not decrease spontaneous cage activity. Median life span (50% survival) was in the order A = AE < B < BE. Ten percent survival was in the order A = AE < B = BE. BE rats had greatest median life span and also highest specific metabolic rate. Exercise and DR altered pathology: At death BE rats had a high incidence of cardiomyopathy, whereas A and AE rats had high incidence of chronic nephropathy and pituitary tumors. The data indicate that increased physical activity is probably not an important factor in the action of DR on aging.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Masoro E.J.: Food restriction in rodents: An evaluation of its role in the study of aging. J. Gerontol. 43: B59–B64, 1988.
Masoro E.J., McCarter R.J.M.: Aging as a consequence of fuel utilization. Aging Clin. Exp. Res. 3: 117–128, 1991.
Yu B.P., Masoro E.J., McMahan C.A.: Nutritional influences on aging of Fischer 344 rats. I. Physical, metabolic and longevity characteristics. J. Gerontol. 40: 657–670, 1985.
Holloszy J.O., Schechtman K.B.: Interaction between exercise and food restriction: Effects on longevity of male rats. J. Appl. Physiol. 70: 1529–1535, 1991.
Åstrand P.: Physical activity and fitness. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1231S–1236A, 1992.
Goodrick C.L.: Effects of long-term voluntary wheel exercise on male and female Wistar rats. Gerontology 26: 22–33, 1980.
Holloszy J.O., Smith E.K., Vining M., Adams S.: Effect of voluntary exercise on longevity of rats. J. Appl. Physiol. 59: 826–831, 1985.
Shimokawa I., Higami Y., Hubbard G.B., McMahan C.A., Masoro E.J., Yu B.P.: Diet and the suitability of the male Fischer 344 rat as a model for aging research. J. Gerontol. 48: B27–B32, 1993.
Iwasaki K., Gleiser C.A., Masoro E.J., McMahn C.A., Seo E., Yu B.P.: The influence of dietary protein source on longevity and age-related disease processes of Fischer 344 rats. J. Gerontol. 43: B5–B12, 1988.
Maeda H., Gleiser C.A., Masoro E.J., Murata I., McMahan C.A., Yu B.P.: Nutritional influences on aging of Fischer 344 rats: II. Pathology. J. Gerontol. 40: 671–688, 1985.
Peto R., Pike M.C., Day N.E., Gray R.G., Lee P.N., Parish S., Peto J., Richards S., Wahrendorf J.: Long-term and short-term screening assays for carcinogens. ARC Monograph (Suppl. 2), 1980.
Yu B.P., Masoro E.J., Murata I., Bertrand H.A., Lynd F.T.: Life span study for SPF Fischer 344 male rats fed ad libitum or restricted diets: Longevity, growth, lean body mass and disease. J. Gerontol. 37:130–141, 1982.
McCarter R.J.M., Palmer J.: Energy metabolism and aging: A lifelong study in Fischer 344 rats. Am. J. Physiol. 263:E448–E452, 1992.
McCarter R.J.M.: Aging and the use of energy. In: Masoro E.J. (Ed.), Handbook of Physiology of Aging. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1995, pp. 95–118.
Gross A.J., Clark V.A.: Survival distributions: Reliability applications in the biomedical sciences. Wiley, New York, 1975, pp. 55–70.
Conover W.J.: Practical nonparametric statistics. Wiley, New York, 1980, pp. 105–116.
Siegel S.: Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. McGraw-Hill, New York, 1956, pp. 175–179.
Snedecor G.W., Cochran W.G.: Statistical methods. Ames, Iowa State University Press, 1980, pp. 288–392.
Kim J.D., Yu B.P., McCarter R.J.M., Lee S.Y., Herlihy J.T.: Exercise and diet modulate cardiac lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defenses. Free Rad. Biol. Med. 20: 83–88, 1996.
Goodrick C.L., Ingram D.K., Reynolds M.A., Freeman J.R., Cider N.L.: Effects of intermittent feeding upon growth activity and life span in rats allowed voluntary exercise. Exp. Aging Res. 9: 203–209, 1983.
Skalicky M., Hofecker G., Kment A., Niedermuller H.: Models of the biological age of the rat. II. Multiple regression models in the study on influencing aging. Mech. Aging Dev. 14:361–377, 1980.
Pearl R.: The rate of living. Alfred Knopf, New York, NY, 1928, p. 1–185.
Austad S., Fischer K.E.: Mammalian aging, metabolism and ecology: Evidence from the bats and marsupials. J. Gerontol. 46: B47–B53, 1991.
Lints F.A.: The rate of living theory revisited. Gerontology 35: 36–57, 1989.
McCarter R.J.M.: Role of caloric restriction in the prolongation of life. Clin. Geriatr. Med. 11: 553–565, 1995.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McCarter, R.J.M., Shimokawa, I., Ikeno, Y. et al. Physical activity as a factor in the action of dietary restriction on aging: Effects in Fischer 344 rats. Aging Clin Exp Res 9, 73–79 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03340130
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03340130