A number of studies have been conducted regarding physical activity for good health. But a recent study suggests that running for 75 minutes a week can add 12 years to our lives.
In a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers studied 4,400 people.
In the study, researchers compared those who ran at least 75 minutes a week to those who ran for at least 10 minutes.
The research looked at telomeres, a segment of DNA. This section describes the structures at the ends of chromosomes. As a person ages, their telomeres shrink. Eventually these become too short and your cells cannot function properly.
On the other hand, if these telomeres are not allowed to shorten, the DNA also has a shorter lifespan.
The study found that those who ran 75 minutes a week had an estimated 12-year difference in biological age.
The authors did not measure mortality in the study. However, he stressed the need for more research to better understand the relationship between running and aging.
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