Heart benefits of exercise: An unexpected twist in the story

Everyone knows exercise protects the heart. But what if men and women don’t benefit equally?

Researchers at Xiamen University set out to investigate using a tool that’s become part of everyday life – a fitness tracker.

The team followed over 85,000 adults wearing accelerometers, which measure movement around the clock.

The results were clear: women needed about half as much exercise as men to cut their risk of heart disease by the same amount. That finding could change how doctors think about exercise prescriptions.

Women need less exercise

The researchers used data from the UK Biobank, a huge health database in the United Kingdom.

The team measured each person’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, or MVPA, using wrist sensors. These gadgets tracked everything from brisk walks to housework.

Among participants without heart disease, women who met global activity guidelines – 150 minutes per week – had a 22 percent lower risk of developing coronary heart disease.

Men had a 17 percent lower risk. When exercise time increased, women’s advantage grew.

Females achieved a CHD risk reduction of 30 percent with 250 minutes per week of MVPA, whereas males required 530 minutes per week for comparable benefits.

That’s more than double the time for men to reach the same protection.

Active women live longer

The story didn’t stop at prevention. The researchers also looked at patients who already had coronary heart disease.

In that group, active women were far more likely to survive. The risk of death from any cause dropped by 70 percent compared with less active women. For men, the drop was closer to 19 percent.

Active females experienced greater mortality risk reduction than males. The data suggested that regular activity works for both sexes – but it works harder for women.

Exercise advantage seen in women

Hormones and muscle biology might explain this. Estrogen helps the body burn fat during exercise and keeps arteries flexible. That gives women an advantage in endurance and recovery.

Muscle type matters too. Women tend to have more slow-twitch fibers, which use oxygen efficiently and support longer bouts of steady movement.

Men have more fast-twitch muscle fibers, designed for bursts of power but less efficient when it comes to supporting long-term heart health.

These natural differences may make exercise more protective for women, even at lower doses. It’s not about who works harder – it’s about how the body responds.

The role of wearable technology

This research depended on wearable technology. Earlier studies relied on memory-based questionnaires that often misjudge how active people truly are. Accelerometers, in contrast, record movement continuously and accurately.

Such devices now give scientists a reliable window into real-life habits. The World Health Organization already recommends using wearables to track population activity. The new data show that they can also guide personal health decisions.

Instead of universal exercise goals, we could soon have recommendations tailored by sex, age, or even genetic background.

Rethinking the 150-minute rule

For years, the American Heart Association and other health agencies have advised everyone to aim for 150 minutes of weekly exercise. That rule is easy to remember but may oversimplify reality.

The new findings show that equal time doesn’t mean equal benefit. Women reach similar heart protection faster, while men may need more minutes to catch up.

The authors believe this knowledge could help close the gender gap in physical activity.

The findings highlight the value of sex-specific tailored CHD prevention strategies using wearable devices, which may help bridge the ‘gender gap’ by motivating females to engage in physical activity.

Exercise plans get personal

Heart disease remains the world’s biggest killer. Yet the solution isn’t as rigid as many think. Moving a little every day still matters, but the right dose depends on the person.

Some people may thrive with brisk walks, while others benefit from cycling or swimming. What truly counts is consistency and listening to the body’s limits.

The researchers hope that wearable data and new science will help create personalized exercise plans rather than one universal rule.

These devices can monitor heart rate, track movement, and offer real feedback that once required lab visits.

Exercising for heart protection

Over time, such technology could show doctors how different people’s bodies react to activity, revealing who benefits most from shorter, more frequent sessions versus longer workouts.

Wearable trackers could also motivate users to keep moving by turning data into simple, daily goals.

The takeaway is encouraging: you don’t need to train like an athlete to protect your heart. Even short, regular activity adds up – and for women, it may count double.

The study is published in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Research.

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