More and more experts have debated over the right measure of exercise that leads to improved health. Two fresh studies offer clarity revealing that suitable dose of exercise ensuring longevity is yet to be understood by people. These studies revealed that intense or prolonged exercise isn’t harmful and may extend the life years. Undoubtedly, exercise in any amount is good for health. It lowers the risk for premature death and several diseases. However, there are no instructions in terms of proper doses.
As per the recent guidelines from both health and government organizations, two hour and thirty minutes of exercise on weekly basis helps in maintaining fitness. There are still clouds over suitable or minimum recommended doze. Scientists are yet to unearth if there is a secure upper limit beyond which the outcomes could be dangerous. They are yet to reveal anything regarding the intensity of exercises being more effective in prolonging lives.
In one of the two recent studies, researchers from NCI, HU and other institutes collected and threw light on exercising habits of people out of six long term and ongoing health related surveys. It revealed about 661,000 adults, majority being middle aged. The researchers used the data to stratify adults based on weekly exercise duration. It covered those who didn’t exercise to those who did it 10 times of the recommended doze. Afterwards, 14 years of death record for the whole group was compared. It revealed that people who weren’t involved in exercise were more vulnerable to early death. Comparatively, those involved in exercise reduced their premature death risk by 20 %.
People who fulfilled the guidelines finishing with 150 minutes of regular moderate exercise each week enjoyed higher longevity benefits. They were running 31% lower risk of death during 14 years time compared to all those who didn’t. Those who did three times the normal recommended dose extracted massive benefits. People exercising for a little over an hour each day also enjoyed health benefits. All of these people were 39% less vulnerable to meet premature death compared to those people who weren’t exercising at all.
All the health benefits plateaued at this point but they didn’t decline. Few people exercising ten times of the recommended doze gained similar reduction of mortality risk compared to those meeting the guidelines. No extra health benefits were gained by the latter group for pumping extra hours in sweating it out. However, these people didn’t elevate the premature death risk.
Another study revealed similar patterns in terms of mortality and exercise. Some studies link strenuous frequent exercise to early mortality, this new study discovered the complete opposite. Australian researchers monitored data on health survey which stands at 200,000 and more for this research study.
The outcomes of the studies were based on shaky recalling exercise habits of people. They weren’t randomized experiments and cannot prove that an exercise dose resulted in a change of mortality risk. It only established the connection between exercising and death risks. This connection was quite powerful and there was consistency, observed researchers.
Image credit: Andres Rodriguez