You might have heard that strengthening exercises most benefit your muscular and skeletal health, but they could have two other big perks: helping you prevent disease and live longer.
Now we may know how much time to spend on those exercises, according to new research published Monday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Compared with people who didn't do muscle-strengthening activities, those who did 30 to 60 minutes of resistance, strength, or weight training weekly had a 10% to 20% lower risk of early death from all causes, and of getting heart disease, diabetes, or cancer at all, the research authors found. These types of exercises are designed to improve muscular fitness by exercising muscles against external resistance, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
Combining 30 to 60 minutes of strengthening exercises with any amount of aerobic activity enhanced the benefit, resulting in a 40% lower risk of premature death, a 46% lower incidence of heart disease, and a 28% lower chance of dying from cancer. The research is also the first to examine long-term links between muscle-strengthening activities and diabetes risk, the authors said.
"Many previous studies showed a favorable influence of muscle-strengthening exercises on noncommunicable diseases and early death risk," said the study's first author Haruki Momma, a lecturer in the department of medicine and science in sports and exercise at Tohoku University in Japan, via email. "We could expect our findings to some extent because this study was planned to integrate previous findings."
The new research is an analysis of 16 prior studies, which amounted to a pool of data from nearly 480,000 study participants. They were between 18 and 98 years old, and most were based in the United States. Participants either self-reported their engagement in muscle-strengthening activities or answered questions during interviews.
"The study methods are sound and the findings are important, but not surprising to me," said Dr. William Roberts, a professor in the department of family medicine and community health at the University of Minnesota, via email. He wasn't involved in the study. Thirty to "60 minutes per week sticks out as a doable amount for most people and makes me feel good about the 5 to 15 minutes of strength exercises I do every morning."
The findings are "great news for people who are active and greater news for those who are inactive as they can improve their health with a small time investment," added Roberts, who is a past president and current fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine. "That said, people should start slow and build slowly to avoid the pain of too much activity too soon."
Important note: If you experience pain while exercising, stop immediately. Check with your doctor before beginning any new exercise program.
source: CNN
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