MARATHON RUNNING MAY REVERSE RISKY PART OF THE AGING PROCESS

The value of goal-oriented exercise ties directly into the aging process. As a person gets older, their arteries are more likely to stiffen. Aerobic exercise can reduce arterial stiffening, which the medical community sees as a predictor of cardiovascular events. However, it is difficult for doctors to recommend a form of fitness that is likely to work for everyone. Recent findings, however, suggest that training for and running a marathon could be an excellent choice for people looking to improve their cardiovascular health.

 

A total of 138 people running in the 2016 and 2017 London Marathons participated in the study, which appears in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Before the participants began their marathon training, the research team measured their blood pressure and aortic stiffness using cardiovascular magnetic resonance. Conclusion: Training for and completing a marathon even at relatively low exercise intensity reduces central blood pressure and aortic stiffness—equivalent to around a 4-year reduction in vascular age. Greater rejuvenation was observed in older, slower individuals.

 

Source: Medical News Today

Courtesy of Barry Block, editor of PM News