Sports enthusiasts can breathe easy.
A recent study challenges the notion that elite athletes who push themselves to their physical limits face a shorter lifespan. Published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, the research focused on the first 200 athletes to achieve the remarkable feat of running a mile in under four minutes. Surprisingly, these athletes outlived the general population by an average of nearly five years.
Contrary to the belief that extreme exercise may have adverse effects on longevity, the study findings suggest otherwise. Led by Mark Haykowsky, a research chair of aging and quality of life at the University of Alberta, the team concluded that even at levels of intense training required for elite performance, exercise appears to confer significant benefits to longevity.
The study coincides with the 70th anniversary of the historic milestone achieved by English neurologist and athlete Roger Bannister, who first broke the four-minute mile barrier in May 1954. Despite Bannister’s passing in 2018 at the age of 88, the research delved into the lifespan of the pioneering athletes who followed in his footsteps.
Analyzing data from the first 200 individuals to accomplish this feat between 1954 and 1974, researchers found that these athletes lived significantly longer than the average lifespan predicted for their respective eras. The study revealed a trend wherein those who achieved the milestone in earlier decades experienced even greater longevity benefits compared to their counterparts in later years.
The longer lifespan observed among these elite athletes may be attributed to various factors. While advancements in medical care and disease prevention likely contribute to overall improvements in longevity, the enduring advantage enjoyed by under four-minute milers suggests a potential link between endurance exercise and enhanced health outcomes.
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