Running Reduces Your Risk of Mortality

Do you want to live longer?  Do you want to liver better?  Do you want to improve your wellness?  Running regularly as little as 10 minutes a day can significantly improve your health.

Running is a popular exercise that many utilize to helping to lose weight.  There are many myths as to the risks of running.  Despite so many runners, little was previously known about the long-term effects of running on mortality. This study in the August 2014 issue of the Journal of American College of Cardiology found that runners tend to live longer and then went on to examine the relationship of running with all causes of death including cardiovascular mortality risk in 55,137 adults from 18 to 100 years of age.  The study looked at runners and non-runners and how much they ran and how regularly.  The study found that compared to non-runners, runners had 30% and 45% lower adjusted risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, with at least an increase in 3-year life expectancy. The study found that consistent runners had the most significant benefits, with 29% and 50% lower risks of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, compared with non-runners.  However, even running as little as 5 to 10 minutes a day and at slow speeds, was associated with markedly reduced risks of death from all causes of death and cardiovascular disease.

Compared to non-runners, runners had 45% lower risk of coronary heart disease mortality, after adjustment of risk factors and ages. In addition, the sudden cardiac death rate was approximately half in runners compared with non-runners (1.5 vs. 0.7 per 10,000 person-years). Furthermore, runners had a 40% lower risk of stroke mortality (HR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.39 to 0.92), compared with nonrunners after adjustment for other risk factors.

Not convinced?

An earlier study found in the 2008 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine found a 39% lower risk of all-cause mortality in runners who were ≥50 years of age compared to nonrunners.

Recently, the Copenhagen City Heart Study found founded that compared with no jogging, weekly jogging <150 min was associated with mortality reduction.  But be careful not to overdo it.  In those running >150 min/week running lost some of its protective benefit . The Harvard Alumni Study also reported a slightly higher death rate in individuals who participated in vigorous sports for ≥180 min/week compared with <180 min/week.

So the evidence is starting to become overwhelming that even running a mile a day on a regular basis can improve your health and extend your life.

Source: Leisure-Time Running Reduces All-Cause and Cardiovascular Mortality Risk | Journal of the American College of Cardiology | American College of Cardiology Foundation

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