Dr. Zaslow weighs in on a new study challenges previous findings and suggests that those who participate in extreme exercise may live longer.
Article Link: Longevity: Could extreme exercise help you live longer? (medicalnewstoday.com)
While everyone knows that exercising regularly is important for a healthy life, some previous studies have shown that intense exercise may have the opposite effect.
A new study, recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, suggests that people who participate in extreme exercise may live longer.
Researchers tracked a select group of elite runners capable of running a sub-4-minute mile and found they may live five years longer on average than the general population.
Tracy Zaslow, MD, a board-certified pediatrician and pediatric and adult primary care sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, CA, not involved in this study, told MNT that more research is needed to determine how to better extrapolate this data.
“While I would not recommend changing practice based on this single study, it may be reassuring to know that there may not be as many risks of ‘overdoing it’ as previously believed. I would encourage readers to be inspired by these elite athletes to improve their own fitness, aiming for moderate exercise as often as possible,” Zaslow said.
Zaslow told MNT she found the study interesting as it contradicts many other studies that previously show extreme exercise may increase rates of cardiac events, and changes in cardiac structure or function.
“Next steps include further studies of other types of athletes as this study was exclusively runners,” she said. “Additionally, comparing a broader range of athletes to determine if there is an optimal amount or intensity of exercise to best promote longevity.”
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