Voluntary exercise

1. Voluntary exercise extends lifespan.

   “Voluntary exercise (VE) has a beneficial influence on the heart and mean lifespan.”

   Review

   Effect of voluntary exercise on number and volume of cardiomyocytes and their mitochondria in the mouse left ventricle

   Basic research in cardiology·14 Nov 2007

2. Voluntary exercise has no effect on lifespan in rats.

   “produced no effect on survival of either age group”

   Animalsmales

   Differential effects of intermittent feeding and voluntary exercise on body weight and lifespan in adult rats

   Journal of gerontology·1 Jan 1983

1. Voluntary exercise has no effect on primary tumor size in mice.

   “voluntary exercise did not add benefits beyond chemotherapy plus CR in terms of primary tumor size, body composition, or physical performance”

   Animalswith chemotherapy plus CR in 4T1 model

   The antimetastatic effects of calorie restriction are negated by voluntary exercise in an aggressive breast cancer mouse model

   Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·28 Apr 2026

1. Voluntary exercise inhibits caloric restriction in mice.

   “voluntary exercise did not add benefits beyond chemotherapy plus CR in terms of primary tumor size, body composition, or physical performance, while dampening the antimetastatic effect of CR”

   Animalsin 4T1 breast cancer model with chemotherapy plus CRlung

   The antimetastatic effects of calorie restriction are negated by voluntary exercise in an aggressive breast cancer mouse model

   Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·28 Apr 2026

More on Caloric restriction

1. Voluntary exercise increases anti-aging protein expression in rats.

   “voluntary exercise positively impacts retinal function and morphology, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation markers while enhancing anti-aging protein expression.”

   Animalsaging Wistar ratsrunning wheelretina6 monthsmales

   Effects of voluntary and forced physical exercise on the retinal health of aging Wistar rats

   GeroScience·25 May 2024

More on Anti-aging protein expression

1. Voluntary exercise decreases inflammation markers in rats.

   “voluntary exercise positively impacts retinal function and morphology, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation markers while enhancing anti-aging protein expression.”

   Animalsaging Wistar ratsrunning wheelretina6 monthsmales

   Effects of voluntary and forced physical exercise on the retinal health of aging Wistar rats

   GeroScience·25 May 2024

More on Inflammation markers

1. Voluntary exercise decreases oxidative stress markers in rats.

   “voluntary exercise positively impacts retinal function and morphology, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation markers while enhancing anti-aging protein expression.”

   Animalsaging Wistar ratsrunning wheelretina6 monthsmales

   Effects of voluntary and forced physical exercise on the retinal health of aging Wistar rats

   GeroScience·25 May 2024

More on Oxidative stress markers

1. Voluntary exercise improves retinal morphology in rats.

   “Our findings reveal that voluntary exercise positively impacts retinal function and morphology”

   Animalsaging Wistar ratsrunning wheelretina6 monthsmales

   Effects of voluntary and forced physical exercise on the retinal health of aging Wistar rats

   GeroScience·25 May 2024

1. Voluntary exercise improves retinal function in rats.

   “Our findings reveal that voluntary exercise positively impacts retinal function and morphology”

   Animalsaging Wistar ratsrunning wheelretina6 monthsmales

   Effects of voluntary and forced physical exercise on the retinal health of aging Wistar rats

   GeroScience·25 May 2024

1. Voluntary exercise has no effect on myocardial volume in mice (CG: 93 (10) vs EG: 103 (17) mm(3)).

   “VE did not have an effect on the myocardial volume of the left ventricle (CG: 93 (10), EG: 103 (17) (mm(3))), the number of cardiomyocytes (CG: 2.81 (0.27), EG: 2.82 (0.43) (x10(6))) and their number-weighted mean volume.”

   Animalsleft ventricle4 weeksfemales

   Effect of voluntary exercise on number and volume of cardiomyocytes and their mitochondria in the mouse left ventricle

   Basic research in cardiology·14 Nov 2007

More on Myocardial volume

1. Voluntary exercise increases mitochondrial number in mice (CG: 3.76 (0.44) vs EG: 7.02 (1.13) x10(10), P < 0.001).

   “the total number (CG: 3.76 (0.44), EG: 7.02 (1.13) (x10(10)), P < 0.001) were significantly higher in EG than in CG.”

   Animalsleft ventricle4 weeksfemales

   Effect of voluntary exercise on number and volume of cardiomyocytes and their mitochondria in the mouse left ventricle

   Basic research in cardiology·14 Nov 2007

More on Mitochondrial number