Classically, it has been accepted that aerobic cardiovascular training, resistance training, was the most indicated to guarantee healthy aging. And it is true that resistance training is the one that most helps to control the accumulation of total and intra-abdominal body fat, and to reduce resting heart rate, both of which are considered important coronary risk factors. However, in recent years scientists have emphasized the importance of strength training, from an early age, in the prevention of diseases and in the enjoyment of healthy aging.
Why and how does muscle strength help in the aging process?
An inverse and independent relationship has been demonstrated between muscular strength and all the most frequent causes of mortality: cancer and cardiovascular diseases. The greater the muscular strength, the lower the risk of suffering from any type of cancer or suffering a heart attack or stroke, regardless of the level of resistance training or the level of physical activity.
One of the known reasons for this inverse relationship is that strength training lengthens cellular telomeres. Telomeres are DNA sequences located at the ends of chromosomes. As cells divide over time, telomeres shorten, and their length appears to be related to cellular aging.
Recent studies highlight the protective factor of increased muscular strength against arterial hypertension, and the counterbalance against the classic cardiovascular risk factors (high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes and sedentary lifestyle).
What benefits does strength exercise bring to our health?
Specialists in traumatology explain that, among the benefits of strength training for our health, the following stand out: a decrease in abdominal and total fat, a decrease in cardiovascular risk factors, protection against high blood pressure, a decrease in insulin resistance (preventing the onset of diabetes), and attenuation of pro-inflammatory proteins, which cause numerous chronic inflammatory diseases.
Strength training, being a protective factor against most of the risk factors for death due to disease and, therefore, a basic pillar for healthy aging, should be promoted by all health and sports organizations.