If you knew that intense cardio exercise would help you live longer, would you decide to start exercising?
A study published in the scientific journal Science Advances has shown that intense cardio exercise can help maintain our telomeres. Telomeres are ‘protective caps’ located at the ends of DNA chromosomes and are responsible for keeping us young. During the aging process, accompanied by stress and disease, telomeres begin to break down. So if we could find a way to keep the telomeres longer, there is also a better chance of living a longer life.
Cardio training slows down aging process
To prove that intensive cardio training can contribute to our quality of life, the research team gathered ten healthy and young volunteers who performed cardio training for 45 minutes. It turned out that the amount of telomerases (these control telomeres) increased in the volunteers, after the workout. These results are also supported by recent theories that exercise and diet can delay or even reduce the effects of aging.
If you too want to feel younger longer, increase the intensity of your next workout. Perform all types of cardio workouts, from swimming to dancing, at a higher intensity. Even if this means a shorter workout session. Cardio exercise also supports many other important functions of your body, starting from blood flow to the brain to cognitive functions. In fact, studies show that certain cardio workouts strengthen certain mental functions. For example, dancing can improve memory, while Tai Chi can help you solve problems more easily.
We hope this article has inspired you to train faster, stronger and better. Let us know in the comments if you’ll be doing more cardio workouts now.
Unsure what cardio workout is best for you? Here are some ideas for cardio workouts. If you don’t prefer anything, then it also helps to try a few workouts. Have fun!
- Cardio Training for Home
- Why swimming is a great sport
- Lose weight with intensive rope exercises
