The Nuance
What’s the Perfect Amount of Running for Good Health?
Fitness experts continue to disagree over whether more mileage is actually better
Every week, the Nuance will go beyond the basics, offering a deep and researched look at the latest science and expert insights on a buzzed-about health topic.
As exercise goes, running is the ur-workout — the one human beings have been doing since our species’ cave-dwelling days. There’s no lack of evidence that running is a wellspring of health and longevity. It’s among the most popular forms of aerobic exercise, and a mountain of research has linked aerobic training to health benefits ranging from reduced cancer risk to improved cognitive performance.
One 2015 study found that even a modest amount of running — five to 10 minutes a day at a slow pace — was associated with a 28 percent drop in all-cause mortality and an even greater reduction in risk of death from heart disease. “Runners, on average, lived three years longer compared to non-runners,” says study author Duck-Chul Lee, an associate professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University. Long-term runners — those who keep at it six years or more — seem to experience the greatest longevity benefits, Lee says.
Stronger and faster is not…
