New Exercise Guidelines May Need to Be Tailored to Sex Differences, Study Suggests
A recent study has found that men need twice as much exercise as women to achieve the same reduction in coronary heart disease risk. Researchers analyzed data from over 80,000 people and discovered that healthy living guidelines should take into account sex differences.
According to the findings published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, women who exercised for 250 minutes a week had a 30% lower risk of developing heart disease over an eight-year period. In contrast, men needed to reach nearly nine hours of exercise per week – equivalent to 530 minutes – to achieve the same effect.
The study's authors suggest that this disparity may be due to differences in sex hormones, muscle fibers, and the ability to break down sugar for energy production. While exercise has been shown to provide substantial cardiovascular benefits for both men and women, the latest research highlights the need for tailored advice and interventions to optimize heart health based on sex.
The study's findings have significant implications, particularly given that one in three women globally die from cardiovascular disease. The researchers are hopeful that their work will encourage physically inactive females to become more active, thereby reducing their cardiovascular risk.
The current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week for both men and women, combined with muscle-strengthening activities two times a week. However, the study's authors argue that these one-size-fits-all approaches may not be sufficient to address the differing needs of men and women.
As Prof Yan Wang noted, "We particularly hope that our findings could encourage physically inactive females to become more active, thereby reducing their cardiovascular risk." The research emphasizes the importance of sex-specific strategies in guiding exercise recommendations and developing tailored interventions to optimize cardiovascular health for women.
A recent study has found that men need twice as much exercise as women to achieve the same reduction in coronary heart disease risk. Researchers analyzed data from over 80,000 people and discovered that healthy living guidelines should take into account sex differences.
According to the findings published in Nature Cardiovascular Research, women who exercised for 250 minutes a week had a 30% lower risk of developing heart disease over an eight-year period. In contrast, men needed to reach nearly nine hours of exercise per week – equivalent to 530 minutes – to achieve the same effect.
The study's authors suggest that this disparity may be due to differences in sex hormones, muscle fibers, and the ability to break down sugar for energy production. While exercise has been shown to provide substantial cardiovascular benefits for both men and women, the latest research highlights the need for tailored advice and interventions to optimize heart health based on sex.
The study's findings have significant implications, particularly given that one in three women globally die from cardiovascular disease. The researchers are hopeful that their work will encourage physically inactive females to become more active, thereby reducing their cardiovascular risk.
The current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week for both men and women, combined with muscle-strengthening activities two times a week. However, the study's authors argue that these one-size-fits-all approaches may not be sufficient to address the differing needs of men and women.
As Prof Yan Wang noted, "We particularly hope that our findings could encourage physically inactive females to become more active, thereby reducing their cardiovascular risk." The research emphasizes the importance of sex-specific strategies in guiding exercise recommendations and developing tailored interventions to optimize cardiovascular health for women.
. I can imagine how frustrating it must be to feel like you're not doing enough just because of your sex. but the good news is that this study might actually help change that 
! It's amazing how scientists are working hard to make sure everyone has access to accurate info about exercise and heart health. let's hope that more women will get the encouragement they need to start moving more 
! so they're saying men need way more exercise than women to reduce coronary heart disease risk... like, 9 hours a week?! 
i mean i know sex hormones & muscle fibers are different but it's crazy how much of a gap there is... the researchers think it might be bcs women are more efficient at breaking down sugar for energy or watever 
anyway, this changes everything! one in three women globally die from cardiovascular disease and now we know that exercise guidelines need to be tailored just for them 
gotta get more active females off the couch ASAP!
. They're trying to push these new guidelines without us even knowing what they're really after 
. I mean, why do men need twice as much exercise? Is it because the gov't is trying to control our bodies or something? 
. They're not telling us the whole story, folks. There's gotta be more to this than just a simple health guideline 
.
, especially considering the differences in muscle fibers and hormone levels. If we're gonna get serious about heart health, we should be acknowledging these sex differences rather than just throwing out a one-size-fits-all approach 
. It's all about being mindful of our individual needs and finding ways to make exercise work for us 
. But seriously, it makes sense that there would be some disparity given how our bodies work. I'm all for tailored advice - who says one size fits all anyway? 
It's great to see more research being done on this topic and hoping to get more women off the couch and into exercise. We need all the help we can get when it comes to heart health! 
I think its crazy how much more exercise men need compared to women! Its like our bodies are just wired differently 
. i think its awesome that they're looking into why that is - maybe its because of hormones or muscle fibers? 
! 
. I wish they'd release more info on what specific differences in hormones/muscle fibers etc. are contributing to these findings, that would be super helpful 
I'm all about getting fit and healthy, but I had no idea that guys need way more exercise than gals to get the same benefits 
But seriously, it makes sense that there would be differences in how our bodies work based on sex hormones and muscle fibers. I'm definitely going to share this with my girl friends 
, we should all be doing more exercise just because it's good for us 