A new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology examined the relationship between strength training and heart health among more than 117,000 women.
Participants were followed for nearly 15 years, during which researchers recorded their exercise habits and levels of physical activity.
Lower risk of heart problems
The researchers found that women who engaged in at least two hours of strength training per week had a 44 percent lower risk of heart attack and a 20 percent lower risk of heart disease compared with women who did not perform strength training.
The results also showed that the benefits increased with greater amounts of training.
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Each additional hour of strength training per week was associated with a 14 percent lower risk of heart attack and a 5 percent lower risk of heart disease.
Combination produced the greatest effect
The best results were observed among women who combined strength training with the recommended levels of cardiovascular exercise.
In this group, the risk of heart attack was approximately 45 percent lower than among women who were physically inactive.
The researchers emphasize that the study shows an association and does not necessarily prove that strength training alone is responsible for the lower risk.
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