Women appear to gain nearly twice the heart-health benefits from exercise as men do, according to new scientific research that upends current fitness guidelines.
In an extensive study published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, researchers tracked wearable fitness data from over 80,000 adults without coronary heart disease and followed their health for nearly a decade. Women who completed about 250 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise each week lowered their risk of heart disease by 30 percent.
Men, however, had to log approximately 530 minutes a week — nearly nine hours of activity — to achieve the same risk reduction.
Even when men and women met the U.S. health authorities' standard recommendation of 150 minutes per week, women still saw a bigger payoff. Women achieved about a 22 percent reduction in heart disease risk at that level, while men reached only about 17 percent.
This gap becomes even more dramatic among people who already have coronary heart disease. When researchers analyzed data from more than 5,000 patients with existing heart conditions, women who kept up an active lifestyle had a much lower risk of dying during the study period compared to men with similar exercise habits.
Scientists say biological and physiological differences are likely the cause of the disparity. Possible reasons include variations in sex hormones, muscle fiber composition, and differences in how men and women use energy during exercise.
Heart disease remains the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States, but women are still less likely to achieve weekly activity goals. The researchers say this study could encourage more women to get moving, since even a moderate exercise routine appears to protect the heart in a big way.
While exercise benefits everyone, the findings make clear that generic, one-size-fits-all recommendations may not be enough. Personalized strategies that account for sex differences
could better protect Americans from the nation's leading killer.
So the message for men is simple: more minutes and more effort may be required to defend your heart. For women, staying consistently active could be one of the most powerful heart-health tools available.
Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your exercise routine, especially if you have a medical condition or concerns about heart disease.
