title: Effect of intensive exercise in early adult life on telomere length in later life in men.
abstract: A career as an elite-class male athlete seems to improve metabolic heath in later life and is also associated with longer life expectancy. Telomere length is a biomarker of biological cellular ageing and could thus predict morbidity and mortality. The main aim of this study was to assess the association between vigorous elite-class physical activity during young adulthood on later life leukocyte telomere length (LTL). The study participants consist of former male Finnish elite athletes (n = 392) and their age-matched controls (n = 207). Relative telomere length was determined from peripheral blood leukocytes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Volume of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) was self-reported and expressed in metabolic equivalent hours. No significant difference in mean age-adjusted LTL in late life (p = 0.845) was observed when comparing former male elite athletes and their age-matched controls. Current volume of LTPA had no marked influence on mean age-adjusted LTL (p for trend 0.788). LTL was inversely associated with age (p = 0.004).Our study findings suggest that a former elite athlete career is not associated with LTL later in life. Key pointsA career as an elite-class athlete is associated with improved metabolic health in late life and is associated with longer life expectancy.A career as an elite-class athlete during young adulthood was not associated with leukocyte telomere length in later life.Current volume of leisure-time physical activity did not influence telomere length in later life.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland ; Vantaa Health Center/Network of Academic Health Centers, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Merja K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Laine
authors.affiliation: Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland ;
authors.forename: Johan G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä , Jyväskylä, Finland.
authors.forename: Urho M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Kujala
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital , Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raj
authors.forename: Jaakko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaprio
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital , Helsinki, Finland ; City of Vantaa, Health and Social Welfare Department , Finland.
authors.forename: Heli M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Bäckmand
authors.affiliation: Division of Welfare and Health Promotion Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, Diabetes Prevention Unit, National Institute for Health and Welfare , Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peltonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki , Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarna
keywords: Aging; DNA repeats; athlete; physical activity