Men’s Hearts Benefit From Intense Exercise Even In Later Life

A study by French scientists finds that moderately intense exercise offers significant heart  health benefits for older men, even if they began exercising after age 40. The clinical study involved 40 healthy men over age 55 with no heart problems. Some of the men had done relatively little exercising in their lives; others had been exercising for five years or longer, including some who had begun exercising before age 30 (T30) or after age 40 (T40). Measurements of heart performance were taken as the men began programs of running or cycling. The study found no difference between the T30 and T40 men in cardiac echocardiography tests. The researchers concluded that the heart can benefit from intense exercise, even when it is begun late in life.