Aerobic training in healthy women aged 20–50: age-group differences in inflammation, lipids and glucose
In 79 healthy non-obese women aged 20–50, a supervised 4–8 week aerobic program was associated with higher SOD activity, lower TNF alpha and higher weekly METs; age-by-activity interactions appeared for fat-free mass, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, fasting blood sugar and TNF alpha. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
Seventy-nine non-obese women aged 20–50 completed a supervised 4–8 week aerobic program with measurements before and after; the 20–30 group (n = 29) trained 4 weeks and 13 fasted during training, while the 30–50 group (n = 50) trained 8 weeks. [1]
Physical activity was associated with higher SOD activity, lower TNF alpha concentrations, increased weekly METs and a modest reduction in HDL cholesterol. [1]
Age-by-activity interactions were significant for fat-free mass, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, fasting blood sugar and TNF alpha; older active women had less age-related rise in fasting blood sugar and TNF alpha and greater age-related falls in total cholesterol, while fat-free mass preservation was more pronounced in younger participants. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Intervention study with before-and-after measurements (abstract).
- Population / context
- Healthy non-obese women aged 20–50 years.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- March 4, 2026
Training before and after in 79 women
The abstract describes 79 non-obese women aged 20–50 who completed a supervised aerobic training program of 4–8 weeks, with measurements before and after. The 20–30-year group (n = 29) did 4 weeks, and 13 of them fasted during training; the 30–50-year group (n = 50) did 8 weeks. Fasting blood sugar, lipid profile, insulin, HOMA IR, body composition, cytokines, oxidative stress markers and leukocyte telomere length were assessed. Mixed-effects models tested age-by-activity interactions, adjusting for BMI, fasting status and training duration.
Supporting source [1]
Higher SOD, lower TNF alpha, modest HDL drop
Physical activity was associated with higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, lower tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) concentrations, increased weekly Metabolic Equivalent of Task (METs) and a modest reduction in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Significant age-by-activity interactions were found for fat-free mass, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, fasting blood sugar and TNF alpha, with attenuated or reversed age-related slopes after training. Older active women showed less age-related increase in fasting blood sugar and TNF alpha and greater age-related reductions in total cholesterol; preservation of fat-free mass was more pronounced in younger participants.
Supporting source [1]
Short program, abstract-only evidence
The authors conclude that a short moderate-intensity aerobic program was sufficient to improve antioxidant defenses and inflammatory status and to reshape age-group-specific responses of selected glycemic, lipid, inflammatory and functional markers in healthy women, partly mitigating adverse age-associated changes, particularly in older participants. These are associations from a before-and-after training study, not proof of cause. The abstract does not report a control group, longer-term outcomes or clinical events.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. The abstract reports no control group, no longer-term follow-up and no clinical outcomes, and the findings are associations from before-and-after measurements.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
Almuraikhy S, Sellami M, Haddad M, Anwardeen NR, Al-Mohannadi M, Elrayess MA. · europepmc.org · March 4, 2026