Strength training enhances women’s protection from heart disease

A recent study shows that adding resistance training to aerobic exercise may give women greater protection against heart disease in the long term.

According to what was published by the “Everyday Health” website, the study, which included more than 100,000 women, showed that those who practiced strength exercises regularly were less likely to develop heart disease and heart attacks compared to those who did not exercise, while the lowest levels of risk were recorded in women who combined resistance exercises and aerobic activities while reducing long periods of sitting.

The researchers relied on data from about 117,000 women who participated in the “Nurses’ Health” study, where their physical activity was tracked over a period of about 15 years, in addition to monitoring the occurrence of major heart diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, and coronary artery bypass surgeries.

The results showed that doing resistance exercises for at least two hours a week was associated with a 20 percent lower risk of heart disease.

It has also been shown that every additional hour per week of strength training reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by 5 percent, while the risk of heart attacks decreases by 14 percent.

Edward Giovannucci, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said that the results indicate that resistance exercises and reducing sitting provide additional benefits beyond the benefits of aerobic activity alone, calling for the adoption of a comprehensive approach to heart health.

The researchers explained that resistance exercises contribute to lowering blood pressure, improving control of sugar levels, increasing muscle mass and reducing fat, in addition to improving cholesterol levels and enhancing cardiorespiratory fitness.

The study warned that sitting for long periods may increase the risk of heart disease even in people who exercise regularly, due to its negative impact on blood flow and metabolism.

The results found that combining aerobic exercise with strength training achieves the best protection for the heart, as the risk of heart attacks decreased by up to 45 percent in women who engaged in both types of activity, compared to those who were inactive, emphasizing the importance of including strength training in the daily exercise routine alongside aerobic activities.