Cycling sprints could reverse negative effects of menopause, claims new study
| Apr 30, 2019, 10:59 IST
A new study has found cycling for just 20 minutes thrice a week may reverse the negative effects of menopause.
Menopause is associated with a decrease in muscle mass and an increase in fat mass. This is the reason many postmenopausal women develop type 2 diabetes. However, a team from the University of New South Wales in Australia, have found that interval sprinting exercise can combat this issue and improve one's health. "Interval sprinting is a very time-efficient form of exercise which we have seen result in a number of health benefits," lead author of the study Yati Boutcher,told a news portal.
For the study, 40 overweight postmenopausal women participated in the research. The women were divided into two groups. Some of the participants had to complete the exercise intervention, while the other group did not. Over an eight-week period, the women who completed eight hours of bike sprints lost0.4 kilogrammes of body fat and gained 0.7 kilogrammes of muscle in their legs.
The team revealed similar studies conducted normal and overweight men and women also yielded the same results. Participants in those studies also showed an increase in muscle mass and lost a significant amount of body fat. "Our findings might be reassuring for people who find that tricky -- it shows that any exercise is better than none and that you can start small and build your activity up over time," Boutcher told a news portal.
Previous research has also found women who are going through the process of menopause are better off following a healthy lifestyle as it could also improve heart health. The findings of this study are published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. "Midlife is a crucial window for women to take their cardiovascular wellness to heart and set a course for healthy ageing," Ana Baylin, M.D., Dr.P.H., an associate professor of nutritional health sciences and epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, told a news portal. Adding, "The metabolic changes that often occur with menopause, especially increases in cholesterol levels and blood pressure, can significantly increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cognitive impairment later in life."
Baylin further noted: "The good news is that middle-aged women can take their wellbeing into their own hands and make healthy lifestyle changes, such as avoiding tobacco smoke, eating a healthier diet and getting more physical activity to reduce their cardiovascular risk."
Menopause is associated with a decrease in muscle mass and an increase in fat mass. This is the reason many postmenopausal women develop type 2 diabetes. However, a team from the University of New South Wales in Australia, have found that interval sprinting exercise can combat this issue and improve one's health. "Interval sprinting is a very time-efficient form of exercise which we have seen result in a number of health benefits," lead author of the study Yati Boutcher,told a news portal.
For the study, 40 overweight postmenopausal women participated in the research. The women were divided into two groups. Some of the participants had to complete the exercise intervention, while the other group did not. Over an eight-week period, the women who completed eight hours of bike sprints lost0.4 kilogrammes of body fat and gained 0.7 kilogrammes of muscle in their legs.
The team revealed similar studies conducted normal and overweight men and women also yielded the same results. Participants in those studies also showed an increase in muscle mass and lost a significant amount of body fat. "Our findings might be reassuring for people who find that tricky -- it shows that any exercise is better than none and that you can start small and build your activity up over time," Boutcher told a news portal.
Previous research has also found women who are going through the process of menopause are better off following a healthy lifestyle as it could also improve heart health. The findings of this study are published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. "Midlife is a crucial window for women to take their cardiovascular wellness to heart and set a course for healthy ageing," Ana Baylin, M.D., Dr.P.H., an associate professor of nutritional health sciences and epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, told a news portal. Adding, "The metabolic changes that often occur with menopause, especially increases in cholesterol levels and blood pressure, can significantly increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cognitive impairment later in life."
Baylin further noted: "The good news is that middle-aged women can take their wellbeing into their own hands and make healthy lifestyle changes, such as avoiding tobacco smoke, eating a healthier diet and getting more physical activity to reduce their cardiovascular risk."