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Middle-aged and elderly individuals may be able to
slow some of the effects of aging on the cardiovascular system using exercise.
To get the desired results, people-with their doctor's approval-need to
participate in strenuous exercise for at least a half-hour three times
a week.
That conclusion is from an analysis of 37 studies
including 720 adults aged 46 to 90. In those studies, people who participated
in at least 30 minutes of exercise three times a week and achieved at
least 80% of VO2 max-the maximum oxygen consumption, which is a measure
of the ability to transport and use oxygen during exercise-can slow the
decline in cardiovascular health that accompanies old age.
Individuals who exercised at this level for more than
15 weeks showed no significant benefits over those who exercised for less
than 15 weeks, suggesting that improvements can be made in less than 4
months and then maintained after that point. The investigators found no
difference in fitness between people who walked and jogged, and those
who cycled.
Journal
of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2000;40:1-10
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