Introduction: The Exercise Paradox—Is More Always Better?
We have long known that physical exercise is a cornerstone of healthy living. Public health messages emphasize moving more, sweating more, and the notion that more exercise inevitably leads to greater health benefits has been deeply ingrained. Yet, emerging scientific evidence complicates this picture: it suggests that when it comes to exercise, more is not always better. Could excessive exercise actually undermine health and accelerate biological aging?
A recent authoritative prospective twin study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology (2025) titled “The associations of long-term physical activity in adulthood with later biological ageing and all-cause mortality” explores exactly this question. This research provides an insightful, nuanced view on how different levels of physical activity relate to biological age and mortality risk.
