Longevity is quickly becoming a buzzword, and it’s something I frequently discuss with my patients. Forget the latest social media fads promising quick fixes. The real keys to a long and healthy life are rooted in proven science, not fleeting trends. This article will debunk the popular ‘biohacking’ myths and focus on what truly works: cardiovascular fitness and strength training.
We’ll explore the importance of VO₂ max, a key indicator of cardiovascular health, and how endurance training can significantly impact it. We’ll also delve into the benefits of strength training for overall health and longevity. Finally, we’ll discuss how physical fitness plays a crucial role in preventing and treating chronic diseases, ensuring a better quality of life as we age.
Debunking Longevity Fads
Scroll through social media and you’ll be bombarded with health ‘hacks’ to improve longevity. These often claim specific dietary routines will revolutionize your health by changing your biomarkers. However, many of these claims lack solid evidence, relying on rodent studies, speculation, anecdotal experiences, placebos, and sales tactics. Popular ‘biohacking’ techniques focus on gut microbiome, insulin levels, and mTOR, which are important but oversimplified. Drinking raw milk or exposing your perineum to the sun aren’t the secrets to health.
In fact, some fads, like drinking raw milk, can be harmful. Instead, focus on strategies backed by peer-reviewed science. A plant-based diet and limiting saturated fat can minimize heart disease risk. Eating patterns focusing on plants and lean meats are better for health across the board. Limiting alcohol is another proven strategy, as it does not confer any health benefits.
The Key: Improving Cardiovascular Fitness
The 2018 study ‘Survival of the fittest: VO2max, a key predictor of longevity?’ highlights cardiovascular training’s importance. It focuses on VO₂ max, which measures your body’s oxygen use during exercise. Studies show VO₂ max is a strong, independent predictor of mortality.
A greater VO₂ max means your body delivers oxygen efficiently. A higher VO₂ max leads to greater cardiac output, higher blood volume, more blood vessels and mitochondria in skeletal muscle, and a shift toward more oxidative muscle fibers – making your body a more efficient machine. There are three significant factors that influence VO₂ max: genetics, age, and physical activity levels. While genetics and age are uncontrollable, physical activity is directly in your control.
Influences on VO₂ Max
Besides genetics, age, and physical activity, gender also influences VO₂ max. Men generally have a higher VO₂ max than women. For example:
- At age 25, untrained men have a VO₂ max of about 42 ml/kg/min, while untrained women have about 36 ml/kg/min.
- By age 75, VO₂ max drops to about 21 ml/kg/min for both men and women.
The heart’s ability to pump blood, known as cardiac output (Qmax), accounts for about 80% of VO₂ max limits. As people age, VO₂ max decreases by about 10% per decade after age 30. While max heart rate declines with age, we can influence stroke volume. Endurance training improves VO₂ max by increasing stroke volume and muscles’ oxygen use, enhancing blood flow and increasing mitochondria.
Regular endurance training can boost cardiac output by 15–20% or about 0.5 liters per minute. A trained 70-year-old can have a VO₂ max similar to an untrained 50-year-old. Training can slow the age-related decline in VO₂ max to 7–10% per decade compared to untrained individuals. Endurance-trained people start from a higher baseline, remaining much fitter than their untrained peers.
Practical Training Tips for Improving VO₂ max
The World Health Organization Physical Activity Guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardiovascular exercise weekly. Moderate intensity is 4–6 METs and vigorous intensity is over 6. Here are some examples:
- Brisk walking (4 mph) — 5 METs
- Swimming laps at a leisurely pace — 6 METs
- Flat cycling (14 mph) — 8 METs
- Running (7 mph) — 11.5 METs
While guidelines show a 2:1 moderate to vigorous intensity ratio being equal, research suggests the ratio is much bigger. For example, one study showed a 5-minute run provides the same benefits as a 15-minute walk. Another study showed running 25 minutes is like walking for 105 minutes in reducing mortality risk.
Both traditional PA guidelines and shorter routines can reduce risk of death from all causes by 30% and from heart disease by 45%. Sedentary individuals can experience significant improvement in heart function and VO₂ after only 6 days of training. If you dislike running, find an equivalent intensity activity like vigorous cycling, rowing, or swimming. You can also implement interval workouts like Tabata.
I like to use interval training during work rest breaks. As a parent, finding time to exercise can be challenging. Taking 15–20 minute work breaks to exercise allows me to clear my head and fit exercise into my routine. Another strategy is to perform moderate-intensity, long-duration exercise while I read or listen to work-related material. If I have studies or articles to read, I’ll do it while cycling or walking on a treadmill. I’ll run while listening to a podcast or webinar. Combining exercise provides more routine flexibility.
Build Muscle and Strength
Regular strength training has many health benefits. It can help you live longer, move better, improve heart health, and feel better mentally and emotionally. A 2019 study found that lifting weights just once a week can lower the risk of heart problems by 40%–70%. It also showed that people who did resistance training had a 28% lower chance of heart-related issues, a 35% lower risk of heart disease, and a 65% lower chance of dying from any cause compared to people who didn’t lift weights.
Other studies showed that less than an hour of strength training each week can reduce the risk of high cholesterol by 32%, metabolic syndrome by 29%, and type 2 diabetes by 32%. As with cardiovascular training, there are many ways to integrate strength training into your daily routine. You can integrate exercise snacks throughout your day, such as doing one max set of pushups every couple of hours.
Efficient Training Techniques
Training sessions can be shortened by using techniques like:
- Rest-pause: Take short breaks (10–15 seconds) between sets until you hit your rep goal.
- Super sets: Perform two exercises back-to-back without rest.
- Drop sets: Reduce weight after reaching failure and continue lifting for 4–6 sets.
You can reduce the number of days per week you need to train by training full body each session. It also doesn’t matter if you prefer free weights, calisthenics, resistance bands, or machines. They all work well for building muscle and strength.
Preventing and Treating Disease
While many studies focus on healthy populations, those exploring unhealthy populations show similar themes. Greater cardiovascular fitness helps with both prevention and treatment of chronic diseases. Studies show cancer patients with high muscle strength or cardio fitness had a 31–46% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared to those with low fitness levels. Each unit increase in muscle strength also reduced the risk by 11%.
Exercise helps prevent and treat chronic diseases, reducing risks associated with aging, like muscle loss, disability, and hospitalizations. It helps people recover from cancer and slow the progression of other chronic diseases. Even if maximum lifespan isn’t extended, cardiovascular fitness, muscle, and strength increase healthy, independent years. Longevity fads won’t do that.
Conclusion
Physical fitness is about more than living longer – it’s about living better. Regular exercise improves quality of life by maintaining strength, preventing disease, and allowing older adults to stay active and independent. Whether you’re 25 or 75, it’s never too late to start reaping the benefits of regular cardiovascular physical activity.
Focus on building cardiovascular fitness and strength through consistent, scientifically-backed methods. Forget the quick-fix fads and embrace a lifestyle that prioritizes your long-term health and well-being. By doing so, you’ll not only add years to your life but also life to your years.