The Running / running benefits For physical and mental health are many, and have also been demonstrated by numerous scientific studies.
Physical exercise promotes health in general, it is more than proven. If you do not have the time, you win or money to pay a gym, go jogging or running is an excellent option to get in shape and get all The advantages of physical activity .
Running helps improve your physical and mental health. You can not make excuses anymore.
Lack of time? With 30 minutes a day is enough. Even a study I commented on in the article showed that running Just 5 to 10 minutes daily Reduces the risk of suffering some diseases.
Every day? It is not necessary, it is enough with 3-5 days per week. Are not you in shape? It does not matter, you can start with a low intensity. Do not have where to do it? You can do it in the city, parks, ginimansio, static tape?
The main benefits of running for the health of women and men
1-Running improves brain activity
A study by the University of South Carolina Found that physical exercise is able to increase the number of mitochondria not only in muscles, but also in the brain .
Mitochondria generate energy for the cells to function, so muscles whose fibers have more mitochondria, feel less fatigue and therefore have more resistance.
Similarly, increased biogenesis of mitochondria in brain cells may also help to avoid fatigue, but in addition, it is also potentially capable of reducing the risk of various central nervous system diseases and certain dementias, often characterized by scant Function of mitochondria.
In addition, this increase in mitochondria in the brain may help to think better or more clearly, according to the opinion of Dr. Davis, co-author of the study.
Fortunately, you do not need to go running marathons to get these benefits. Trotting for 30 minutes daily for a few weeks is sufficient to stimulate the formation of new mitochondria and thus improve the functioning of Your neurons .
2-Avoid depression
Going for a run can help you feel better for many reasons. But one of them is that moderate physical exercise stimulates the expression of a gene that has an important antidepressant effect.
According to data from a study carried out by the Yale University , Mice running on their wheel 3 km every night for one week had dramatically increased VGF gene expression (among others), which had a significant antidepressant effect compared to mice that remained sedentary.
The identification of the VGF gene is one of the possible explanations of why physical exercise can function as an antidepressant, which until now was not very clear.
In addition, running increases production of Endorphins And certain neurotransmitters that favor the sensation of general well-being . Many men mention having experienced a"euphoria"when running, due to the secretion of beta endorphins, which are natural opiates.
On the other hand, there is also scientific evidence showing that the habit of running increases the secretion of Serotonin And norepinephrine in the brain. These substances are neurotransmitters known for their important and beneficial influence on mood.
3-Helps prevent cancer
Did you know that running can decrease the risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and Of lung , And that it can also increase the survival rate in people who already have cancer?
He colon cancer Is one of the most studied types of cancer, in relation to its relation with physical exercise, having been made more than 50 investigations in this respect.
The results of these studies allow us to state that people who increase their physical activity, in duration, intensity or frequency, can reduce the risk of developing colon cancer by 30% or 40%, compared to those who lead a sedentary life without No matter what your body mass index
The more active the person is, the lower the risk of developing this type of cancer. It is recommended to go jogging or jogging during 30 to 60 minutes daily ; Is what it takes to make the most of this benefit.
As for breast cancer, something similar happens. More than 60 studies in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia show that women who are more active and exercise frequently have a lower risk of breast cancer.
On the other hand, those who go running frequently can also reduce the risk of suffering Lung cancer . This has been shown by 21 scientific studies showing a 20% reduction in the risk of developing this disease in individuals who perform vigorous physical exercise.
While it is unclear what the mechanism is, studies have also shown that those who go for a run or moderate exercise can reduce their chances of suffering prostate cancer , Possibly due to hormonal changes, stimulation of immunity and antioxidant effects, among others.
By last, physical exercise Has also been shown to have a beneficial effect on people with cancer. In one study, go running or to walk Increased the survival rate in women with breast cancer, also improving the feeling of well-being in the patients and favoring the prognosis of the evolution of the disease.
In addition, going for a run could also increase the survival rate among people who have been diagnosed colon cancer . People who started exercising after the diagnosis had a lower risk of recurrences and in this group, the survival rate improved.
Visit this article If you want to know foods that prevent cancer.
4-Avoid arthritis
Although running implies a great impact for the knees and other joints, there is no evidence that going out to run increases the risks of suffering arthritis , If not the opposite.
The people who run normally are actually less likely to suffer from this condition, according to the results of a study of 75,000 runners.
Researchers at the University of Queens in Kingston, Ontario, who studied the causes of this effect, found that runners actually have a smaller net impact on their knees compared to walkers.
When running, you need a smaller number of strides to travel a certain distance. Although the force exerted on the knees is greater than when walking, as the impact is performed a smaller number of times, this could favor the health of the knees in the long term.
There is also data suggesting that cartilage in the knee joint could be strengthened while running, which would also help prevent arthritis.
5-Reduces the risk of osteoporosis
The osteoporosis Is a disease that affects millions of people around the world. Recent studies indicate that going for a run helps increase the mineral density of bones, thus avoiding the lack of calcium that causes osteoporosis.
Research carried out by University of Missouri Have found that high-impact activities such as running or jogging have a positive effect on bone mineral density.
It should also be taken into account that bones that stress Of the exercise are those that will be strengthened. In the case of runners, legs and hips would be the bones that increase their density.
In addition, dynamic exercises in which intense, high-impact, and muti-directional forces, such as football or basketball, are also good options to strengthen bones and decrease the risk of osteoporosis.
6-Avoid cardiovascular diseases
Do you think you do not have time to do an exercise that actually improves your health? Well, keep this in mind: a recent study reveals that running Just 5 to 10 minutes daily Can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
A group of researchers conducted a study of 55,000 adults in the United States, aged between 18 and 100 years. A quarter of this group were runners, while the rest were not.
The study found that after a few years, runners had a 45% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and also had 30% fewer deaths from any cause.
And the most surprising thing is that those who ran longer, say, more than two hours a week, had the same benefits as those who spent only a few minutes a day.
Running is in these cases a better option than walking, because running the health benefits can be achieved more quickly, says Lee, an assistant professor in the department of kinesiology at Iowa State University, who conducted the study.
7-Prevent premature aging
Running also helps prevent premature aging of all tissues, according to a study whose results were published in 2011 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research was carried out on mice, and showed that the group of rodents that ran on their wheel for 45 minutes three times a week, showed a greater amount of mitochondria in virtually all their organs and tissues, compared to those who did not Exercised.
After a few weeks, the mice that ran looked younger and more active than those who did not. This may explain why exercise is also able to decrease the risk of diabetes, coronary heart disease, arterial hypertension Or colon cancer in humans, diseases associated with aging of tissues.
Even if you only meet the minimum recommended physical activity (30 minutes, five times a week), you will live longer. A study published in the PLOS Medicine magazine Found that when people started exercising, they lived longer. Smokers who decided to exercise, added 4 years to their lives.
So you know, running two or three times a week, or maybe a few minutes a day can have a very positive influence on your health.
You may also be interested in These anticancer foods .
And what do you think of this exercise? What benefits have you noticed? I am interested in your opinion. Thanks!