Abstract
In this study, waste fat from the Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) was used as the raw material, and soft-shelled turtle oil (SSTO) was extracted by water heating. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of SSTO revealed that unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) comprised more than 70% of the oil, of which more than 20% were omega-3 poly-UFAs. DPPH radical scavenging and cellular ROS assays confirmed the reduction of oxidative stress by SSTO. In D-galactose-induced aging rats, SSTO feeding alone or in combination with swimming training resulted in improved memory and physical strength. In addition, SSTO feeding with swimming intervention significantly increased the SOD level and maintained better blood pressure in the aged rats. The serum DHEAS and soleus muscle glycogen level were also highly correlated with SSTO feeding and swimming training. In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrated that SSTO has the potential to be developed into a health food that exerts anti-aging effects, and those effects are stronger when combined with daily swimming exercise.
Highlights
Aging is an irreversible phenomenon in which organisms undergo progressive and systemic complex physiological processes at the end of life, which are related to the complex interactions between genetics, acquired lifestyles, environment and chronic diseases
Weight-loaded forced swimming was performed until exhaustion with a weight of 5% of the animal’s body weight attached to the tail
The rats with soft-shelled turtle oil (SSTO) feeding in combination with swimming training exhibited the best anti-aging response. These results indicated that SSTO together with swimming training had the best outcome in terms of improving cognition, which led to enhancement of the motivation and desire of the aging rats to explore new environments
Summary
Aging is an irreversible phenomenon in which organisms undergo progressive and systemic complex physiological processes at the end of life, which are related to the complex interactions between genetics, acquired lifestyles, environment and chronic diseases. A combination of internal and external factors causes aging, which is inevitable, but can be delayed; many aging-associated diseases are avoidable (Siedner, 2019; Sabatini et al, 2021). Exercise is considered to be a beneficial factor in a healthy lifestyle, as physical activity can improve the antioxidant system and lower lipid peroxidation levels in the elderly (Bouzid et al, 2018). In addition to being able to delay aging, exercise is known to prevent cognitive decline; reducing antioxidative stress and increasing exercise levels are very important in old age. Sustained physical activity with antioxidant supplementation has been suggested to further shield the body from oxidative stress, which is especially beneficial in the elderly population (Simioni et al, 2018)
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