How much exercise to keep the heart young
How much exercise to keep the heart young
Anonim

It turns out that a couple of workouts a week is not enough.

How much exercise to keep the heart young
How much exercise to keep the heart young

Arteries harden with age. This increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke, especially if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. Scientists know how much exercise you need to do to protect your heart and blood vessels from aging.

The study involved 102 people aged 60 and over. They were divided into four categories:

  • sedentary - less than two 30-minute workouts per week over the past 25 years;
  • moderate - 2-3 workouts;
  • enthusiastic - 4-5 workouts;
  • experienced - 6-7 workouts per week.

Scientists monitored the elasticity of their arteries. It turned out that different amounts of workouts affect different arteries.

Exercising for 30 minutes 2-3 times a week helps maintain the medium-sized arteries that supply blood to the head and neck.

This is not enough for the health of the larger arteries that carry blood to the chest and abdomen. To protect them from aging, you need to exercise 4-5 times a week.

The researchers acknowledge that the results may not be accurate enough because they did not take into account the type of training, demographics and lifestyle of the participants, although these all significantly affect the health of the cardiovascular system. Nevertheless, they are optimistic. "This study will help design exercise programs to maintain heart health and even return the heart and blood vessels of older adults to a more youthful state," the scientists say.

If you decide to test this for yourself, do not delay until old age. The cardiovascular system cannot be changed in one year. Researchers are now testing whether the heart and blood vessels of middle-aged people can be rejuvenated in two years of training.

Get active every day. For example, run with your dog for a walk or walk home from work. Find a sport that you enjoy and practice several times a week. This will help your heart.

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