Even a 5-minute run can help prevent heart disease

Good news for runners: A new study published in the Journal of the American Coll
ege of Cardiology suggests running, even for a few minutes a day, can reduce you
r risk of dying from heart disease whether you plod along or go at race speed.
Researchers studied more than 55,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 100 over
a 15-year period, looking at their overall health, whether they ran and how long
they lived.
Compared to nonrunners, those who ran had a 30% lower risk of death from all cau
ses and a 45% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, investigators fou
nd. In fact, runners on average lived three years longer than those who did not
hit the pavement. When data was broken down by age, sex, body mass index, and sm
oking and alcohol use, the benefits were still the same.
Thats important to note, said Dr. Warren Levy, a cardiologist and chief medical off
icer of Virginia Heart in northern Virginia. Even with all the negative factors,
such as obesity, smoking and diabetes, those who were, lets say, obese and ran ha
d a less likely chance of dying from heart problems than those obese people who
didnt run. Same with smokers, diabetics, etc.
The speed and frequency of a person's running routine did not make a huge differ
ence either. The data showed novice runners who ran less than 51 minutes, fewer
than 6 miles, slower than 6 miles per hour, or only one or two times per week st
ill had a lower risk of dying than those who did not put on running shoes.
D.C. Lee, lead author of the study and an assistant professor at Iowa State Univ
ersity's kinesiology department in Ames, Iowa, said the researchers found runner
s who ran less than an hour per week have the same mortality benefits compared to
runners who ran more than three hours per week. So more may not be better.
Its been shown that after a certain amount of running over a certain period of ti
me, the benefits seem to wane, said Levy. We arent quite sure why.
However, researchers did discover that consistency was key. They found participa
nts who ran consistently over a period of six years or more gained the most bene
fits, with a 29% lower risk of death for any reason and 50% lower risk of death
from heart disease or stroke.
There have been many studies that have shown the benefits of exercise on the hea
rt. But this study is one of the largest to pinpoint the positive effects of run
ning, especially for nonmarathoners or nontriathletes.
"Since time is one of the strongest barriers to participate in physical activity
, the study may motivate more people to start running and continue to run as an
attainable health goal for mortality benefits," Lee said.
Activities like running can lower your blood pressure and decrease the productio
n of glucose, which cuts your risk of developing diabetes, according to the Amer
ican Heart Association. Running also seems to protect the innermost lining of th
e arteries, keeping the walls and cells intact, which cuts the risk of blockages
or clots that can cause strokes or heart attacks.
Levy, a runner himself, said people considering taking up running programs shoul
d talk to their doctors first, especially if they have chronic conditions.
A lot of weekend warriors just go out without preparing for their run. Its the run
ner who takes it gradually and trains correctly, even for a run around the block
, who's the one who avoids injuries and other complications."