LONGEVITY OF EXERCISING MALE RATS - EFFECT OF AN ANTIOXIDANT SUPPLEMENTED DIET

Food restriction increases maximal life span in rodents. Male rats tha t exercise in voluntary running wheels do not have an increase in maxi mal longevity despite a relative caloric deficit. In contrast, sedenta ry rats that are food restricted so as to cause the same caloric defic it have an extension of maximal longevity. It seemed possible that exe rcise-induced oxidative stress might prevent a maximum life span-exten ding effect of a caloric deficit to manifest itself. This study was do ne to determine if antioxidants would allow a maximal longevity-extend ing effect of exercise to manifest itself in male rats. The antioxidan t diet had no effect on longevity of the runners (Antiox., 951+/-158 d ays versus control 937+/-171 days), or of the sedentary controls (875 +/- 127 versus 858 +/- 152 days). As in previous studies, wheel runnin g modestly increased average longevity (approximate to 9%), but had no effect on maximal life span. The finding that antioxidants had no eff ect on longevity of the wheel runners supports the interpretation that the caloric deficit induced by exercise in male rats does not have a life-extending effect that is countered by oxidative tissue damage. (C ) 1998 Elsevier Science ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.