Exercise and socialization, the superhero secret to a good aging

London, Dec. 13 (EFE). Superheroes tend to age well — and even more so when they are thousands of years old, like Thor — but their secret lies in continued physical activity and strong social bonds, according to research published in Science. The British Medical Journal (BMJ).
In its Christmas edition, which always includes some science studies casually, “BMJ” reveals the “meticulous” research conducted by academics from the University of Queensland in Australia, who have spent dozens of hours in front of their home or movie theater screens, mainly while in confinement, to check whether The passage of time on Marvel superheroes.
Experts chose this study group, with the majority of members aged between 30 and 55, because they “live much longer than most people” and therefore “it seems appropriate to look at their health and relate to their trajectories of aging”.
They concluded that superheroes age as well and that the way they do so depends on their personal characteristics in the same way that other humans do.
When examining their positive habits, they found that they regularly participate in physical activity and exercise and exhibit a high level of socialization, which is associated with a lower risk of dementia.
They also find that they typically have a positive or optimistic mindset, as well as psychological resilience and a vital purpose, which is often associated with healthy aging.
Also, with the exception of Thor and Iron Man, superheroes don’t usually drink or smoke, which also allows them to age in a healthy way.
In general, they suffer from risk factors to a greater extent than the rest of the population, such as their constant exposure to loud noises, polluted air and multiple head contusions, increasing their chances of suffering from dementia, disability and traumatic injuries. rest of life.
Australian scientists took a special look at five cases: Tony Stark (better known as Iron Man), Bruce Banner (Hulk), Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow), Chaka (Black Panther), and Peter Parker (Spiderman).
They concluded that both the Black Panther and the Iron Man are ‘extremely wealthy and intelligent’, which a priori reduces their risk of suffering from dementia, and also in the first case T’Chaka is vegetarian, which is linked to a healthier lifestyle.
However, the Hulk’s tantrums of anger, weight gain, and heart problems make him a candidate for chronic disease, and the traumatic experiences Black Widow had in his childhood increase his susceptibility to physical and mental illness.
And while they praise Spider-Man’s strength, flexibility and agility, which eventually make him more resistant to falls in old age, they caution that his intense nocturnal activity makes him unlikely to sleep between 8 and 10 hours. Recommended for teenagers.
Experts remember that until now superheroes have focused on maintaining peace in the multiverse or creating artificial intelligence, but they claim that from now on they face new challenges, such as providing medical and social care one population at a time. And in the prevention of dementia.
“This will allow people across the multiverse, including superheroes, to experience a good quality of life at older ages,” the experts say in their study.