Exercise not only firms your muscles and reduces body fat; it can also lower your risk of heart disease and heart attack. When you do regular aerobic exercise your heart adapts in a way that makes it more resistant to heart damage or a fatal heart rhythm.
It’s traditionally been thought you have to work out for at least 6 weeks before accruing any of the cardiovascular benefits of aerobic exercise, but such may not be the case. According to the work of one researcher, your heart may be more resistant to a heart attack or sudden death after a single cardio session.
Exercise Increases the Production of Stress Proteins
According to Dr. Joe Starnes Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, even one cardiovascular session boosts levels of proteins called stress proteins that help to protect the heart against irregular heart rhythms or heart attack. These stress proteins are increased within a day of working out at an intensity that raises your heart rate into the cardiovascular training zone. So, even a single aerobic workout makes you more resistant to a heart attack, at least temporarily.
Of course, stress proteins don’t hang around in your system long, so you have to keep exercising to get the benefits of a reduced risk of heart disease and heart attack. Doctors used to tell their health-conscious patients that lower intensity exercise like walking was the best form of exercise for their heart. That’s changed. More research now shows that low-intensity exercise doesn’t offer the same protection against heart disease as more challenging higher intensity workouts.
High-Intensity versus Low-Intensity Exercise: Which Offers More Protection?
According to a study published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation, exercise carried out at an intensity below a v02 max of 60% wasn’t protective against heart-related injury in rats. On the other hand, regular low-intensity exercise does reduce some risk factors for heart disease such as blood pressure and stress levels. But if you want maximal cardiovascular benefits, a higher intensity workout is better.
Studies show that even when a person who exercises has a heart attack, the amount of heart damage is reduced by up to 60%. This means they’re more likely to have a good prognosis. Interestingly, researchers aren’t sure exactly why exercise protects the heart. One theory is that it increases the ability of the heart to deal with cell-damaging free radicals. It also lowers blood pressure and increase levels of HDL, the good form of cholesterol that protects against heart disease.
The Bottom Line?
You can reap the rewards of a cardiovascular workout even after your first session. But to get the long-term benefits for your heart, work out at least 3 times a week at a higher intensity. See your doctor first, especially if you have other medical problems.
References:
European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention & Rehabilitation April 2005 vol. 12 no. 2 169-174.
American Journal of Cardiology. Volume 97, Issue 1 , Pages 141-147, 1 January 2006.
Exercise Physiology. Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance. Powers and Howley. 2009.
Related Articles By Cathe:
What Impact Does Resistance Training Have on Heart Health? American College of Cardiology Weighs In
7 Immediate Benefits of Working Out
Why 20 Minutes of Exercise is a Good Anti-Inflammatory
6 Ways Exercise Benefits Your Heart
Even 10 Minutes of Exercise Has Anti-Aging Benefits
How Does Weight Training Impact Your Immune System?
Does Low-Intensity Exercise Have Health Benefits Too?
8 Health Benefits of Exercise That Happen Right Away
Do the Benefits You Get from Aerobic Exercise Change as You Age?
6 Surefire Ways to Reduce the Benefits of Exercise
The Mood-Enhancing Benefits of Exercise: Why You Feel So Good After a Workout
Related Cathe Friedrich Workout DVDs:
HiiT and Interval DVDs
Low Impact Cardio DVDs
Beginner Workout DVDs
Intermediate Workouts
Fit Tower DVDs
Boot Camp DVDs
Circuit DVDs
Kickbox DVDs
Step DVDs
Cycle Workout DVDs
Abs/Core DVDs
Stretch/Yoga DVDs
High Step DVDs
Hi/Lo DVDs
