Women Reap Greater Lifesaving Benefits from Exercise than Men, Studies Show

Exercise: A Matter of Life and Death

Exercise is a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle, with numerous studies linking regular physical activity to reduced risks of chronic diseases and premature death. However, recent findings suggest that the benefits of exercise may not be distributed equally among men and women.

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has found that women who spend the same amount of time exercising as men experience greater lifesaving benefits. Specifically, women who engage in regular physical activity can reduce their risk of early death by 24%, compared to a 15% reduction for men.

Women Need Less Exercise for the Same Benefits

It appears that women may not have to work as hard as men to reap the same cardiovascular benefits. A study from the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai has found that women can exercise less often than men, yet receive greater cardiovascular gains.

The study, which analyzed data from over 400,000 U.S. adults, found that women achieved the same degree of survival benefit from exercising just under about 2 1/2 hours per week, compared to men who needed about five hours per week. Women also had even greater gains if they engaged in more than 2 1/2 hours per week of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity or in two or more sessions per week of muscle-strengthening activities.

Cardiovascular Benefits: A Tale of Two Sexes

Another study found that women seem to get more cardiovascular benefit from exercise than men. According to the research, the mortality risk for women who engaged in regular physical activity was reduced by 24% compared to 15% for men. Men reach their peak benefit from doing three sessions of muscle-strengthening activities per week, while women accrue the same degree of benefit from about one session per week.

The study also found that the difference in the male and female bodies could be responsible for the divergent results between the men and women studied. This reinforces the idea that a one-size-fits-all approach to exercise recommendations may not be the most effective.

The Less is More Approach for Women

Interestingly, the study also found that women may benefit from a 'less is more' approach to exercise. Women achieved a 24% lower mortality risk at 300 minutes per week of physical activity, while men had to exercise more than twice as long to achieve similar results.

Closing the Gender Gap in Physical Activity

The study aimed to evaluate whether physical activity derived health benefits may differ by sex. With the findings showing that women achieve similar benefits at lower doses of physical activity compared to men, the study aims to close the gender gap and optimize physical activity related outcomes for all.

Implications for Future Exercise Guidelines

These findings challenge the current one-size-fits-all exercise recommendations and indicate the potential benefits of using sex-based guidelines for exercise. As we learn more about how exercise affects different groups of people in different ways, it's clear that personalized exercise plans could be the way forward.

Ultimately, these studies underscore the importance of regular physical activity to good health and well-being, and highlight the need for more nuanced, individualized exercise guidelines that take into account factors such as sex and personal health outcomes.