IUBio

Live shortening effects of sport

Brian Manning Delaney bmdelane at ellis.uchicago.edu
Mon Feb 19 00:02:39 EST 1996


In article <4ffmjj$mdo at epx.cis.umn.edu>,
selby at lenti.med.umn.edu (Scott Selby (Med-Hem)) wrote, among other things:
>H.O.van.den.Berg at Inter.NL.net wrote:
>
>[lots of false conjecture deleted]
>
>: So I think it's reasonable to assume that sports progresses the
>: aging process. Probably even a lot of "lean muscle tissue"
>: does the same (consuming more oxygen).
>
>: Is muscle tissue and sports activity the reason for the fact
>: that women live longer ?
>
....
>: And if we pay this price for sports, what sport would give 
>: the best physical results for the lowes oxygen price ?
>
>You have ignored numerous human studies where sedentary lifestyles 
>coincide with increased risk for heart disease, stroke, etc. etc.....

No one would doubt that. Q is whether there might still be a
deleterious effect on aging. I think there almost certainly is. If you
looked at people who exercise regularly and vigorously all their
lives, you'd prob'ly see far fewer deaths compared w/normals until the
age of 75 or 80, and then you'd see more. Aging ~= use of energy, so
no surprise there.

If you're at risk for heart disease, and you can't control the risk
through diet, then regularly aerobic exercise is wise. Otherwise, just
a little load-bearing exercise is all that's needed, from a health
standpoint. (Other standpoints exist, tho', to be sure.)

Check out the fascinating reseasrch of JOhn Holloszy for more on
these questions.

-- 
Brian M. Delaney <b-delaney at uchicago.edu> [Do not cc: Usenet articles
to me.] [Wrists: "Leave unambiguous typos."]
Note: All statements in this article are in jest; they are not
statements of fact. * "Mein Genie ist in meinen Nuestern." -Nietzsche.




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