That's what the latest study reports.
Could exercise actually be bad for some healthy people? A well-known group of researchers, including one who helped write the scientific paper justifying national guidelines that promote exercise for all, say the answer may be a qualified yes.
By analyzing data from six rigorous exercise studies involving 1,687 people, the group found that about 10 percent actually got worse on at least one measure related to heart disease: blood pressure and levels of insulin, HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. About 7 percent got worse on at least two measures. And the researchers say they do not know why.
“It is bizarre,” said Claude Bouchard, lead author of the paper, published on Wednesday in PLoS One, and a professor of genetics and nutrition at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, part of the Louisian State University system.
Dr. Michael Lauer, director of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the lead federal research institute on heart disease and strokes, was among the experts not involved in the provocative study who applauded it. “It is an interesting and well done study,” he said. (continue reading at Well Blog NYT)
The conclusion? You guessed it -- there is a need for more study to know more about what exercise actually does.
Over the years we have been told that coffee is bad, then it's good. Same thing for wine, same thing for butter, same thing on and on and on.
All things in moderation. Do what you like. Enjoy life.
Debbie,
I concur with your last statement. All things in moderation. And most certainly, "Enjoy life".
*Exercise is over-rated. Pass the Starbucks and a box of chocolates. wink
Tammy
Posted by: Tammy Swofford | May 30, 2012 at 05:35 PM
Interesting.
The diet that I'm on right now actually discourages exercise because exercise can increase appetite and create stress, which raises cortisol levels (Such levels pack on the pounds around the waistline).
Posted by: Always On Watch | May 30, 2012 at 06:03 PM
A t-shirt I used to wear to the gym says it all: "Exercise, Eat Right, Die Anyway"
Posted by: Skunkfeathers | May 30, 2012 at 08:01 PM
I AM SO GLAD TO HEAR IT - AND WE DON'T NEED ANY MORE DAMN STUDIES. MOST STUDIES ARE DONE BY USELESS ACADEMICS WHO HAVE NOTHIN BETTER TO DO WITH THEMSELVES. THESE STUDIES ARE DONE TO SATISFY PROMOTION AND TENURE COMMITTIES AND GAIN A FEW SPEAKING GIGS. ANYONE WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT THEIR HEALTH & HAS/WANTS A LIFE IS MODERATE ABOUT WHAT THEY EAT & ABOUT EXERCISE.
Posted by: Susan Benton | May 31, 2012 at 12:23 AM
I weight about the same as I did years ago when I was 21. Over the years I gain a few pounds, I give myself a 5 or 10 pound range, and then I start cutting back on what I eat and walking more to drop those few pounds. I think power walking is one of the better exercises and anyone can do it.
I generally cut out as much sugar and fat as I can, but I don't punish myself either. All things in moderation.
As to the study, I think one can conduct a study to come up with whatever results they want, at a huge price, and the results are usually the same -- "more studies needed". It is endless.
Posted by: Debbie | May 31, 2012 at 10:26 AM
You would think that as smart as these scientists and doctors are supposed to be that they just might conclude that excercise is bad for 7% of the population and not bad for everyone!!! DUH!
Posted by: GoneWithTheWind | May 31, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Debbie,
I linked to this in my personal post today:
http://alwaysonwatch3.blogspot.com/2012/06/over-10-pounds-and-still-counting-down.html
Posted by: Always On Watch | June 01, 2012 at 04:53 AM
BTW, exercise CAN mess up insulin levels. An imbalance in insulin levels will indeed cause weight gain! The worst kind of weight gain -- FAT!
Posted by: Always On Watch | June 01, 2012 at 04:54 AM
I would be very careful reading too much into this. Whenever you assess the treatment effect of an intervention (in this case exercise), those with extreme scores at baseline will tend to regress towards the mean of the group on the subsequent recording. This is a well known statistical artifact and the authors make no mention of this. Until they check for this artefact, this piece of 'reserach' is good for toilet paper
Posted by: Shieak Tzeng | June 01, 2012 at 06:13 AM
Exercise is a beneficial activity that we do, most of the time. But we need to be physically fit when involving such physical activity. What we want to do is up to us, but we need to consider many things, consulting an expert maybe a good and safe action but the the final decision is in our hands.
Posted by: Kevin Crandall | October 27, 2012 at 03:47 AM