One of the fundamental pillars of protecting heart health is exercise. It keeps your heart beating efficiently and maintains the elasticity of your cardiovascular system. The benefits range from blood pressure levels to weight management. But did you know that each person needs different amounts of exercise for better heart health benefits? One way this distinction manifests itself is along gender lines.
Also read: Take the stairs over the lift: Studies show that just 3 minutes of movement each day can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke
no way study The study, published October 27, 2025, in the journal Nature Cardiovasive Research, revealed differences in how men and women reap the heart health benefits of exercise. It turns out that women can get the same level of heart protection as men by doing almost half the amount of activity that men do. The study examined wearable device data from approximately 85,000 adults.
What were the findings?
Women who exercised nearly 250 minutes a week, or about 35 minutes a day, had a 30 percent lower risk of developing heart disease. But here’s the difference. Men would need to exercise for about 530 minutes a week to achieve a 30% reduction in the cardioprotective benefits of exercise and lower their risk.
This applies not only to preventing heart disease, but also to mitigating heart disease complications. Women with heart disease who met recommended activity levels benefited from a whopping 70% reduction in mortality compared to those who were inactive. However, when men did the same amount and duration of exercise, the risk reduction was only about 19%.
This typically sheds light on overall recommended activity levels that are not gender-specific. Regardless of gender, 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week is suitable for everyone. However, this study provides surprising results that suggest that the benefits of exercise depend on how your body responds to the activity, not how long you exercise. This is especially important because men and women have vastly different biological responses and systems.
Why does a woman’s body react differently?
The reason women have an additional advantage here is because of their hormones and muscle composition. Estrogen, a sex hormone, is present in greater amounts in women and triggers fat metabolism when exercising. This is essentially an energy process in which the body uses fat for fuel during exercise rather than relying on sugar. Using fat for energy reduces pressure on your heart. This is why women have better heart health when they are less active. Women also have more endurance-oriented muscle fibers (type I), as opposed to strength-oriented muscle fibers (type II) in men.
All of these biological changes can help women reap better returns on their cardiovascular health. For women, it helps their hormones and muscles reap even more benefits.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek medical advice if you have any questions regarding a medical condition.
