Jogging 40 Minutes A Day Has "Fountain Of Youth" Effect On Cells, Study Finds

CBS Local-- A relative fountain of youth may be attainable, and it's not a hot spring somewhere in the mountains of Iceland.

It can be found by remaining highly active, which means 30 minutes of running a day for women or 40 minutes for men.

The running can have a "fountain of youth" effect on cells, according to a study by Brigham Young University (BYU).

The study found that people who jog regularly for that amount of time had longer telomeres. Telomeres are at the end of cells and are linked to aging; the older a person gets, the shorter their telomeres.

"Just because you're 40, doesn't mean you're 40 years old biologically," said Larry Tucker, lead author, via press release. "We all know people that seem younger than their actual age. The more physically active we are, the less biological aging takes place in our bodies."

In analyzing information from a CDC survey with nearly 6,000 participants of all ages, it also found that there wasn't much of a difference between those who exercised just moderately and those who don't exercise at all. Exercising for 30 minutes per day for women and 40 for men is classified as "extensive" exercise.

"We know that regular physical activity helps to reduce mortality and prolong life, and now we know part of that advantage may be due to the preservation of telomeres," Tucker said.