Men’s health centre

10 health benefits of regular exercise for men

Moderate exercise even a lazy person can manage

A lot of middle-aged men know the dilemma. As family and work life become more demanding, exercise begins to drop lower on the list of priorities. Yes, you know it’s supposed to be important. But when the lawn needs to be mowed and the children want attention, it’s harder to justify lacing up your trainers. Eventually, it’s easy to think, “why bother?”

Why? For one very good reason. Staying active throughout your life is the single most powerful way to remain healthy and live long enough to enjoy your family and all the things you’ve worked for. “It’s hardly news now that exercise keeps your heart and lungs working efficiently”, says Steven Blair, professor of exercise epidemiology at the University of South Carolina, in the US.  “But we’ve also come to understand that exercise can help prevent adult onset diabetes, improve bone health, and even lower the risk of some cancers. Physical activity also appears to help ease depression for some people”.

Still not convinced you should make yourself get up off the sofa? Consider the following 10 health benefits you can get from even a moderate regular exercise routine.

Exercise health benefit one: Improve cholesterol

As most men get older, cholesterol numbers begin to move in the wrong direction. Levels of so-called bad cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), gradually increase. Levels of good cholesterol, called high-density lipoprotein (HDL), tend to fall. Unfortunately, that combination of high LDL and low HDL is one of the leading risk factors for heart disease. Excess cholesterol accumulates on the inner lining of blood vessels, leading to arthrosclerosis and heart attacks. The best way to keep LDL cholesterol levels down is to eat a diet low in saturated fat (the kind found in meat and high-fat dairy products). The single best way to boost good HDL cholesterol? Exercise. A 2007 Danish study of 835 men found that regular physical activity was consistently associated with higher levels of HDL cholesterol. A meta-analysis of 52 exercise training trials, including 4,700 subjects, found that HDL levels increased an average of over 4%, enough to reduce heart disease risk significantly.

Exercise health benefit two: Lower triglycerides

Triglycerides are a form of fat found in the blood. Rising triglyceride levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease. The same Danish study found the most active men also had the lowest triglyceride levels.

Exercise health benefit three: Lower risk of high blood pressure

As blood pressure climbs, the risk of heart disease and stroke accelerates. Unfortunately, blood pressure levels typically climb as men get older. But they don’t have to. In a study published in 2007, University of Minnesota researchers followed men and women aged 18 to 30 for up to 15 years. The more physically active the volunteers were, the lower their risk of developing  high blood pressure or hypertension.