Matriarchy rocks? Women gain double the benefits from exercise than men, study finds

Researchers have discovered significant disparities in the exercise benefits between men and women after a study spanning two decades and involving 412,000 adults aged 27 to 61

The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, showed that men need to invest twice as much time in exercising as women to achieve comparable long-term benefits, such as a reduced risk of early death from heart attacks.

What does it mean?

The findings indicate that both sexes can substantially reduce their risk of premature death through regular exercise, but women appear to "get more out of each minute."

Various activities, including running, cycling, and strength training, were found to provide a more significant boost to women's long-term health, even with less effort compared to men.

Women who engaged in regular exercise showed a remarkable 36 per cent lower likelihood of experiencing a fatal heart attack or stroke during the study period, while the difference for men was only 14 per cent. Additionally, women experienced a 24 per cent reduced risk of early death from any cause, compared to a 15 per cent reduction for men.

"Women can get more out of each minute of moderate to vigorous activity than men do. It’s an incentivising notion that we hope women will take to heart," Dr Martha Gulati, a cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in California and the study's author was quoted as saying by The Times newspaper.

According to the study's co-author, Dr Susan Cheng, the difference comes from differences in anatomy and physiology of men and women.

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The researchers hope that these findings will encourage more women to integrate regular exercise into their lives, even in smaller increments.

The study aligns with growing evidence that exercise should be tailored according to sex, considering differences in hormones, physiology, and biomechanics.

"This study emphasises that there is no singular approach for exercise. A person’s physical activity needs and goals may change based on their age, health status and schedule — but the value of any type of exercise is irrefutable," Dr Eric Shiroma from America’s National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute was quoted as saying by The Times newspaper.

(With inputs from agencies)