Scientists found that people who exercise intensely and run at fast speeds live an average of nearly 5 years longer than the general population.
The study was just published in a medical journal British Journal of Sports Medicineby a group of authors from Canada and Australia.
With a scale spanning 30 years, the team analyzed health data from 200 athletes who ran one mile (about 1.6 km) in under 4 minutes in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The results showed that they live an average of nearly 5 years longer than the general population. These findings argue against the notion that excessive exercise has negative long-term health consequences. In fact, pushing the body to its limits can be beneficial, at least for some people.
Cardiologist Stephen Foulkes from the University of Alberta, the study author, said many epidemiological studies of Tour de France and Olympic cyclists have shown a similar trend, that is, participants Participating in intense physical activities is associated with a longer life expectancy. Exceptional athletes not only race against time but also capture every moment of life, through determined weekly training sessions.
This is further supported by the finding that sub-four-minute distance runners in the 1960s had a longer life expectancy than those who followed, reflecting advances in medicine and disease management.
Foulkes’ research shows that athletes’ longevity benefits do not only come from lifestyle, but genetic factors also play an important role. Among the 200 athletes were many brothers and fathers, also suggesting that genetics may be at play. Although the specific cause of death is unknown, data from Tour de France and Olympic athletes shows that reduced mortality from heart disease and cancer contributes to their longer life expectancy.
The study’s conclusions highlight that exercise, even at the highest levels, may be the key to a long and healthy life.
According to a 2022 Harvard University study, increasing physical activity beyond the recommended level can significantly reduce the risk of death, up to 30%. In 2018, cardiologists found that the first 20 runners who ran a mile in under 4 minutes lived 12 years longer than the average.