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Exercise boosts artery health in middle-aged and older men
A 12-week exercise program improved artery health in middle-aged and older men, while testosterone treatment alone provided no benefits to artery health and function, a new study by The University of Western Australia has found.
The study examined the effect of exercise training and testosterone treatment on artery function in 78 men, aged between 50 and 70, who had low-to- medium testosterone levels at the start of the study. They had no history of cardiovascular disease and a waist measurement of 95 centimetres or more, which is above the recommended level for good health.
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Not all sleep apnea cases adapt to nightly use of CPAP. Photo: Shutterstock.
A new study has found that treating obstructive sleep apnea with CPAP therapy increases self-reported physical activity in adults with a history of heart disease.
During a mean follow-up period of 3.7 years, the group treated with CPAP therapy reported approximately 20% higher levels of moderate physical activity compared with the control group. The study also found the CPAP group was more likely to report activity levels consistent with expert recommendations.
“We were pleased to find that our CPAP users reported that they were better able to maintain their levels of activity over the four years of the study, and that they reported fewer limitations in moderate and vigorous activities including those that are important for independent ageing, like walking up the stairs,” says study co-author Kelly Loffler, who has a doctorate in biochemistry and molecular biology and is a research fellow at the Adela
Queen Mary University of London
However, the researchers warn that the recent stalling of salt reduction programmes is endangering the potential health gains, as salt intake remains significantly higher than recommended levels.
Excess salt intake is strongly linked with raised blood pressure and increased risks of cardiovascular disease, as well as kidney disease, gastric cancer and osteoporosis. Raised blood pressure is responsible for half of the burden of ischemic heart disease and more than 60 per cent of strokes.
In 2003 to 2010, the Food Standards Agency, in collaboration with the food industry, established salt reduction targets in over 85 food categories, which involved reformulating processed foods, product labelling and public awareness campaigns. Consequently, average population-level salt intake reduced by 15 per cent in the period 2000 to 2011, with the decline attributed to food companies reformulating their products.
A 12-week exercise program improved artery health in middle-aged and older men, while testosterone treatment alone provided no benefits to artery health.