The health benefits of physical activities are already widely known: increased muscle strength, improved sleep and conditioning quality, and reduced cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as increased well-being and mental health gains.
Still, every year, on April 6th, the World Physical Activity Day promotes awareness of the importance of moderate and regular exercise for health. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of 150 to 300 minutes of aerobic activity per week for healthy adults and an average of 60 minutes per day for children and adolescents.
Were the aforementioned advantages still not enough to drive you to move? Do not worry. Here are some hidden benefits of physical activity:
1. Reduction of the risks of cardiovascular diseases
A sedentary lifestyle is associated with several diseases that increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. The lack of physical activity favors the accumulation of fat on the walls of blood vessels, which makes it difficult for blood to pass, compromises the functioning of the heart and can lead to a heart attack, in addition to the risk of causing a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and thrombosis.
“The earlier we start taking care of the heart, the lower the risk factors throughout life. Today, we have childhood obesity and high blood cholesterol levels in children. The Covid-19 pandemic has increased physical inactivity in this age group and may generate a greater risk factor for heart problems”, says Vanessa Guimarães, cardiologist at Hospital Sírio-Libanês, in São Paulo.
Aerobic exercise, such as walking, running, cycling, and swimming, can have heart health benefits. The list also includes modalities such as surfing, skateboarding and dancing, as well as training involving going up and down stairs and jumping rope.
According to the doctor, before starting any physical exercise, it is essential to undergo a medical evaluation.
“We have both arrhythmias that can be induced by physical exercise and conditions that have never been evaluated and that are discovered when a person is going to do a physical activity. Physical assessment before activities, at the beginning of the gym, for example, is necessary, including for children who want to play sports with a tendency to high performance”, she says.
2. Expansion of the immune response to vaccines
A study carried out by researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) revealed that regular physical exercise is associated with an increased immune response to the Covid-19 vaccine, which tends to decrease over time.
The research involved the participation of 748 patients from the Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, USP. In the analysis, the association between physical activity and the persistent presence of specific antibodies against the coronavirus in the body was investigated.
Data were evaluated over a period of six months after a two-dose regimen of Coronavac vaccine in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, systemic sclerosis, and inflammatory myopathies. The results were published in preprint format, without peer review.
To assess the vaccine’s ability to provoke a long-term immune response, the USP researchers performed serological tests to check the rates of IgG antibodies and the presence of neutralizing antibodies – both indicators are associated with the response to immunizers.
Of the 748 patients analyzed (421 active and 327 inactive), the positivity rates of IgG and neutralizing antibodies were significantly higher for active individuals than for inactive individuals.
3. Well-being and relaxation
In addition to physical health gains, physical activity also promotes a sense of well-being and relaxation, according to psychologist Luciana Ferreira Angelo.
“One of the psychoneurological benefits of physical activity is neuroplasticity, a characteristic of the central nervous system that promotes change and adaptation of the system according to experiences and needs. The area is stimulated when we do physical exercises”, says Luciana, coordinator of the improvement and specialization course in Sport Psychology at Instituto Sedes Sapientiae, in São Paulo.
Movement is also associated with an increased level of factors related to the development and maintenance of neurons. Physical exercise helps in the release of neurotrophin (BDNF), which is an important protein for the maintenance and survival of neurons.
“Activity also improves cognitive performance. Research points to gains in memory, attention and concentration. In addition to reports of improved academic performance and reduced risk for dementia,” he adds.
The specialist says that the benefits also include increased levels of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, which helps regulate mood, appetite and sleep and is also associated with a feeling of relaxation.
Physical activities can also bring improvements to social relationships, with increased self-esteem and confidence, in addition to an improvement in emotional regulation. Especially those that can be practiced in a group.
4. Reduction of the impacts of Covid-19
Although the relationship between physical exercise and Covid-19 has not yet been fully clarified by the medical and scientific communities, studies point out that the practice can have positive impacts for people who have been infected by the virus.
Professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (USP) Bruno Gualano gathered recent findings on the subject in an editorial published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
“Something that was speculated at the beginning of the pandemic and is now demonstrated quite consistently is that physically active people tend to have milder illness when infected with SARS-CoV-2. The body of research on the subject suggests that, on average, these people have between 30% and 40% less risk of hospitalization,” says Gualano.
An article published by Gualano and colleagues also in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in July 2021 showed that professional athletes often develop mild illness when infected.
“In this study, we hypothesized that protection may be even greater in the case of people with a high level of physical activity, such as professional athletes. But this is something that still needs to be confirmed,” he comments.
5. Anxiety control
A study conducted by researchers from Sweden and the United States, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, points out that regular physical exercise can reduce the risk of developing anxiety by up to 60%.
While the positive impacts of physical activity on anxiety are already known, the researchers point out that factors such as the importance of exercise intensity, the specific mechanisms for men and women, and the duration of effects remain unknown.
To get some answers, the scientists conducted a large observational study that followed more than 395,000 people over a 21-year period between 1989 and 2010. The aim was to understand whether participation in a long-distance Cross Country ski race called Vasa running (Vasaloppet), up to 90 kilometers, was associated with a lower risk of developing anxiety.
The skiers’ data were compared to the records of Swedish subjects who did not participate in the race. The researchers consulted information from Sweden’s National Patient Registry, which includes psychiatric and somatic diagnoses, as well as primary and secondary diagnostic data on patients seen in hospital care in the country since 1987.
Overall, the physically active had a significantly lower risk of developing anxiety during follow-up compared with non-skiers. The group of athletes included 197,685 people, with an average age of 36 years, 38% of whom were women.
“Our results support the recommendations for physical activity to decrease the risk of anxiety in men and women. The impact of physical performance level on anxiety risk among women requires further study,” the article reads.
(With information from Agência Fapesp)
Source: CNN Brasil
