Why Women Need Less Exercise for the Same Heart Benefits as Men – New Research Reveals

A recently published study on Monday has presented a revelation that women require less exercise than men in order to attain equivalent cardiovascular advantages. The researchers have determined that women are able to derive greater benefits from each minute of moderate to vigorous activity when compared to men.

Published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the study stipulates that women only necessitate slightly under 2.5 hours of moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity weekly in order to achieve the same “survival benefit” that men obtain with five hours of physical activity. Furthermore, the mortality risk for women participating in regular physical activity was reduced by 24% as opposed to 15% for men.

Co-lead author of the study, Dr. Martha Gulati, has articulated that the study’s findings are “incentivizing” and expressed hope that women will take them to heart. However, it is imperative to acknowledge that the study was executed with an “observational design,” rendering the researchers unable to conclusively assert that exercise was the cause of the lowered risk. Additionally, the study relied on self-reported data and did not account for variations in household activities.

Cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Steven Nissen, whilst regarding the new findings as “intriguing,” has underscored the limitations of an observational study. He has also underscored the significance of validating the findings with additional data from other populations.

The researchers also examined the discrepancies in cardiovascular benefits between men and women engaged in regular strength training. It was discovered that while men achieve their peak benefit from three sessions of muscle-strengthening activities per week, women accrue the same degree of benefit from just one session weekly.

As outlined in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults are advised to engage in at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly. Nevertheless, the guidelines presently do not make a distinction between exercise recommendations for men and women.

The researchers of the study have posited that the disparities in cardiovascular benefits between men and women could be attributed to variances in the male and female anatomies. They have pointed out that, on average, men possess proportionally larger hearts, wider lung airways, greater lung diffusion capacity, and larger muscle fibers in comparison to women.

Despite the distinct exercise requirements for men and women as identified in the study, Dr. Nissen has reaffirmed the concept that exercise is vital for everyone. He has advocated that both men and women strive for a minimum of 300 minutes of exercise weekly, accentuating that exercise is one of the most advantageous forms of medicine.

In essence, the study sheds light on the dissimilar exercise needs for men and women to achieve the same cardiovascular benefits. It also underscores the necessity for further research and data analysis to substantiate these findings.