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Updated: Aug 16, 2026

A Method to Study the Impact of Chemically-induced Ovarian Failure on Exercise Capacity and Cardiac Adaptation in Mice
Published on: April 7, 2014
Physical activity delays ovarian aging in part through adiponectin-related signaling pathways
Biao Li1,2,3,4, Nana Zheng5,6, Tong Luo1,2
1Key Laboratory of Sleep and Biological Rhythms of Guangdong Province, Center for Sleep and Circadian Medicine, The Affiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Abstract:
Ovarian aging leads to infertility, endocrine dysregulation and increased chronic disease risk, yet there are currently no approved therapies to delay ovarian aging. Physical activity (PA) is a crucial lifestyle factor for human health and antiaging, but its effects and mechanisms on ovarian aging remain unclear. Here we show, through a cross-sectional analysis of 152,435 participants in the UK Biobank, that lower PA levels were observed among postmenopausal persons when compared to premenopausal persons, and this finding was supported by another cross-sectional study of 12,418 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Animal studies in mice show that higher levels of PA can delay ovarian aging. In addition, PA significantly increased adiponectin levels in the ovary, and the protective effects of PA on ovarian aging were attenuated in adiponectin-deficient mice. The adiponectin receptor agonist AdipoRon delayed ovarian aging and extended reproductive lifespan in mice. Our findings elucidate the role and mechanisms of PA in delaying ovarian aging, highlighting potential therapeutic targets for extending the reproductive lifespan.
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