Exercise will benefit your body in many ways, including lowering levels of a C-reactive protein (CRP) that is linked to inflammation.

High levels of CRP in the body is associated with a higher than average risk of cardiovascular disease, and has even been suggested as a better indicator of possible heart attack than high cholesterol.

In a recent study of 722 men, it was found that men who were physically fit had lower levels of CRP, and therefore were at a lower risk for heart disease and other cardiovascular problems than men who were not in shape.

Physical fitness was determined by the length of time each man could walk on a treadmill of increasing incline. The longer the time, the more fit the man was thought to be.

Among men who were most fit, CRP levels tended to be the lowest and they appeared to be 83 percent less likely to have elevated CRP levels than the least fit men. Correspondingly, men who were the least fit usually had the highest levels of CRP in their bodies. Compared with the least fit group, men in the second-to-lowest fitness group were less likely, by 57 percent, to have increased CRP levels. The relationship remained even when factors such as age and obesity were removed.

Researchers believe that a similar relationship between CRP levels and exercise is likely to be found in women, though they note that it could be more complicated because of hormonal variations.

To increase fitness levels, researchers recommended moderate physical activity, such as walking, for a total of 30 minutes each day for five days a week.

Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology November 2002;22:1869-1876