Battle of the Sexes: Women Benefit From Exercise Way More Than Men
Women who work out regularly have a lower risk of early death from all causes and from cardiovascular events compared with men who do the same, according to research recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology
- New research suggests women who work out regularly have a lower risk of early death compared with men who do the same.
- Physically active women were 24% less likely than non-exercisers to die from any cause, and 36% less likely to have a fatal heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular event.
- Men who regularly exercised were only 15% less likely to die from any cause, and 14% less likely to die from heart attack or stroke.
It’s well known that regular exercise can boost health, but women may reap even more benefits than men from hitting the weights or running track.
That’s according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that suggests women who work out regularly have a lower risk of early death compared with men who do the same.
The study found that physically active women were 24% less likely than non-exercisers to die from any cause. Men were only 15% less likely.
In addition, women had a 36% decreased risk of a fatal heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular events. Men had a 14% reduced risk.
“The findings demonstrate that women essentially get more out of every minute of exercise or muscle training, compared with men,” co-lead author Martha Gulati, MD, director of Preventive Cardiology in the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, told Health. “What was most compelling is the fact that this sex difference exists and reinforces the fact that women are not small men.”
The study “shows that perhaps our recommendations of daily activity should differ for women and men,” Gulati added.
Digging Into How Exercise Affects Men and Women
For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 400,000 U.S. adults between the ages of 27 and 61.
They found that physically active women not only had a lower chance of premature death overall compared to men but that they reduced the risk with less exercise.
For moderate aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, women could do half the amount of men each week to achieve the benefit. And while 57 minutes a week of vigorous exercise like running was all it took for women to lower their risk of premature death, men needed 110 minutes.
Women reaped more benefit not only from moderate and vigorous aerobic activity but from strength training, such as lifting weights or doing squats, as well.
Researchers found that women who regularly performed strength training exercises lowered their premature death risk by 19%, while men who did the same reduced it by only 11%.
“From this study, it seems we need both types of exercise,” Dr. John Higgins, MD, a sports cardiologist with UTHealth Houston, told Health. “Strength training may lead to less osteoporosis, positive remodeling of bones, more stability, and less falling and mechanical contributors to death. Aerobic training may contribute to lower rates of coronary artery disease, vascular disease, strokes, and even dementia.”
Why Exercise May Have Added Benefit for Women
Higgins pointed to multiple factors that could contribute to exercise benefitting women more than men, including differences in hormones and leaner muscle mass that could make women’s bodies more efficient when exercising.
Research has also shown that men “have a greater capacity for engaging in physical activity and can exercise longer than women due to the structure and size of their organs, muscle fibers, and possible hormonal differences,” Benjamin Boudreaux, PhD, a postdoctoral research scientist in the Center for Behavioral Cardiovascular Health at Columbia University, told Health.
Higgins said it’s possible that the intensity of men’s workouts may trigger inflammation in the body.
Experts stressed that more research is necessary to understand how the female body responds to exercise across its lifespan.
“We need more elegant prospective studies with ‘wearable,’ lab based assessment of effort versus calories burned, impact on vasculature dilation and response as well as protective/harmful effects of hormones in each sex,” said Dr. Wael Jaber, MD, a cardiologist at Cleveland Clinic, told Health. “Do female sex hormones protect from the oxidative stress of exercise? Do the telomeres shorten less in females in response to exercise in females?”
What This Means for Women’s Exercise Habits
The study should motivate women to exercise, particularly those with cardiovascular disease or risk factors, Dr. Rachel-Maria Brown Talaska, MD, director of inpatient cardiac services at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, told Health.
“Women should come away from this article recognizing there are sex differences in physical activity response and understand they can significantly benefit from partnering with their health care provider on a customized physical activity plan,” she said.
Although the study has implications for women, additional research is still needed to firmly establish physical activity recommendations by sex, noted Boudreaux.
He said that everyone should strive to meet the current physical activity guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, 75 to 100 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity, or an equivalent combination of both types of exercise. They also advise engaging in resistance training at least two days a week.
People should also “limit their sitting time throughout the day to achieve optimal health benefits and reduce mortality risk,” Boudreaux said. “Individuals should exercise in activities that are enjoyable to them but should also be mindful to remain active throughout the day.”
He cites taking the stairs instead of the elevator, having “walking meetings,” and parking far away from your destination as strategies for increasing physical activity in daily life.
“As always,” Higgins added, “a little exercise on a regular basis is better than none for all of us.”
This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Kaitlin Vogel
