Can a person exercise too much? We have always been told that exercising is good for a healthy body. But now studies are shedding some light on what is the optimum amount of exercise required to be healthy.
A study in the Netherlands where the participants were active athletes that worked out to extreme levels has shown that they developed atherosclerosis in later years. The athletes cardiovascular health had been affected by the excessive workouts. Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally so this can be a reason to worry. More study will be needed to see if this determination could relate to the general population that exercises regularly.
A recent report by the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio states that a regular exercise routine is beneficial. The participants in this study were monitored for 23 years after going through health tests. Researchers monitored and followed up on the health, exercise and lifestyle data from 1991-2014 to be able to make this determination. This conclusion was for all age groups that were on a regular exercise program.
Another study by Yale University found that a person that exercises every day for at least 90 minutes can improve mental health. To understand the association between exercise and mental health, this study centered on the type of exercise, duration, frequency and intensity. They also determined that no exercise at all or any exercise beyond the 90 minutes could be detrimental.
There is a difference between extreme workouts by athletes and regular exercising in general. And, not exercising at all was worse than excessive workouts. Dr. Wael, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic noted that people that performed poorly on a treadmill or stress test were at a higher risk of death than even people that had diabetes, hypertension or smoked. The benefits of exercise far outweigh any risk in comparison to not exercising at all. He believes there is no ceiling on exercise that can benefit a persons health as long as it is not extreme. An example of extreme would be running 100 miles per week.
Everyone needs to exercise regularly to reach and maintain a high fitness level. This is especially true for older individuals. A persons cardiorespiratory fitness level is an indication of overall health and exercise can help to achieve a good outcome.
To view the original scientific study click below:
Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Exercise Treadmill Testing
