A key finding from a recent study shows that men need almost twice as much exercise as women to lower their risk of heart disease.
If you’ve always thought men and women need the same amount of exercise to stay healthy, a new study might make you think again. General guidelines state that men and women ages 16 to 64 should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, combined with strength-strengthening activities at least twice a week. But new research highlights that a “one-size-fits-all” approach is not the best bet.
Extensive research in the UK has been published. Nature cardiovascular research Your perspective may change. We tend to think that the recommendations for exercise are the same for everyone, but that’s not true. Recent research shows that the relationship between exercise and heart health may be different for men and women.
The main findings of the study revealed that:
A recent study analyzed data from more than 80,000 UK Biobank participants who did not have coronary heart disease. The results were surprising: women who exercised about 250 minutes a week reduced their risk of coronary heart disease by about 30%. By comparison, men needed to exercise about 530 minutes, or nearly 9 hours each week, to see a similar reduction in risk.
- Standard exercise recommendations: Women who follow the guidelines of getting 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week reduce their risk of heart disease by about 22%. By comparison, men reduce their risk by about 17%.
- Impact on existing situation: “For women with coronary heart disease, regular weekly exercise is associated with a three times lower risk of death compared to men who exercise at the same level,” cardiologist Dr. Abhijit Bors told Healthshot.
What effect does regular physical activity have on heart health?
Exercise reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke, helps you manage weight, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and reduces inflammation. In a world where heart disease is the leading cause of death, it’s important for people of all genders to understand how exercise works and its benefits. The gender differences in results in this study prompt us to consider what might be causing them. Several theories have been proposed.
- Hormones and metabolic factors: Women have different hormone levels, especially estrogen. This can affect how your body responds to exercise. Because of this hormonal difference, women may be better able to improve their heart, blood vessels, and metabolic health by exercising less.
- Composition of muscle fibers: Men generally have more fast-twitch fibers and greater lean body mass than women. This means they may have a different baseline of physical activity than women. Women, on the other hand, tend to have more slow-twitch fibers, which provides greater cardiovascular benefits per minute of exercise.
- Momentum and type: Research shows that women may put in more effort depending on how long they exercise. The type of training that women choose may also be different than what men choose, which can affect the results.
How can men prevent heart disease?
Before you start questioning your exercise habits, remember that this study doesn’t mean men need to exercise twice as much as women to improve their heart health. Rather, it has been shown that exercise affects people differently depending on factors such as gender. For men who want to reduce their risk of heart disease, the findings suggest several strategies to consider.
- Increase your activity level: “Consider increasing your physical activity beyond the standard recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week,” says cardiologist Dr. Mahadev Swamy B. tells Health Shot.
- Focus on strength and variety: If increasing time is not possible, try increasing the intensity and variety of your workouts to maximize cardiovascular benefits.
If you’re a woman, you can reap important heart-health benefits by simply exercising less. However, it’s important to be consistent. Regardless of your gender, regular physical activity is essential to keeping your heart healthy.
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