Staff Reports
A recent study funded in part by the National Institutes of Health has revealed some fascinating news about the benefits of regular exercise, especially for women. The findings, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, have left many individuals scratching their heads and pondering the differences between the sexes when it comes to staying healthy and fit. The study, which tracked 400,000 men and women over two decades, has shaken up the world of fitness and provided insight into the hidden advantages that women may have over men in the battle for longevity.
Women may get more health benefits from exercise than men, new research suggests https://t.co/vPSYySzwuN https://t.co/vPSYySzwuN
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) February 21, 2024
Cardiologist Susan Cheng, a co-author of the study, dropped a bombshell by announcing that women may actually reap greater rewards from exercise than their male counterparts. According to the research, women who engaged in regular physical activity were a staggering 24% less likely to meet their maker prematurely. Additionally, these exercise-loving ladies were 36% less likely to suffer a fatal heart attack or stroke compared to their couch-potato counterparts. On the other hand, the benefits for men were significantly less impressive, with only a 15% reduced risk of early departure and a paltry 4% lower likelihood of succumbing to heart problems.
But here’s the real kicker: women achieved these remarkable health benefits with significantly less sweat and toil than their male counterparts. With shorter workout times, women were able to reach the same level of risk reduction as men who put in double the effort. It seems unfair, doesn’t it? While men were sweating it out for 300 minutes per week, women only needed 140 minutes to bask in the glow of good health. Even when it came to vigorous aerobic exercise, men still couldn’t catch a break; women’s risk of death dropped by a whopping 24% with just 110 minutes of intense exertion, leaving men trailing behind at a less-impressive 19% reduction.
As if this news wasn’t enough to make the fellas green with envy, the study also highlighted the benefits of strength training. It turns out that pumping iron can significantly slash the risk of death in both men and women, but once again, women come out on top. The effects of strength training varied based on sex, with women reaping greater rewards for their efforts. It’s enough to make any man reconsider his gym routine.
But before you start feeling sorry for the guys, the researchers have suggested that physiological and anatomical differences could be the reason behind all this inequality. Men, with their larger lung capacity, heart size, and muscle mass, may simply have to work harder to achieve the same results. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it seems women have a biological advantage when it comes to exercise. As for the Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendations for weekly exercise, it seems that both men and women are falling short — with only a fraction meeting the standards for aerobic and strength training.
It looks like the ladies have won this round in the battle of the sexes when it comes to reaping the benefits of exercise. Perhaps it’s time for the men to grab their running shoes and head to the gym if they want to keep up with the super-fit women in their lives.
