A heart surgeon has lifted the lid on what he feels is the best way to extend your life. Dr Jeremy London is a cardiovascular expert who shares advice to his 1.2million followers on Instagram.
Asked by his son what he feels is his ‘No.1 tip for longevity’, he was in no doubt. Filmed while lifting weights, he answered: “Lifting heavy weights and gaining muscle.
Referring to fellow doctor Gabrielle London, who also has a large following on social media, he continued: “I heard Dr Gabrielle Lyon the other day say – and this was spot-on – that muscle is the organ of longevity. I totally love that.
“It is so incredibly accurate. (It helps with) insulin resistance, glucose metabolism, strength, balance, and functional fitness. As we age, it’s been well shown that we lose a significant portion of our muscle mass, and you’ve got to work to keep it. You’ve got to get after it, and it makes such a tremendous difference.
“I spent many years doing long-distance endurance training and I don’t regret doing that but, had I really focused on doing strength training back then, I’d be in a much different place now. But that doesn’t matter because it’s never too old or too late to get after it every day.”
The benefits of lifting weights are well-established. Inactive adults experience a loss of muscle mass of between 3-8 per cent per decade, as well as resting metabolic rate reduction and fat accumulation.
One 2012 study found that just 10 weeks of resistance training may increase lean weight by 1.4 kg, increase resting metabolic rate by 7 per cent, and reduce fat weight by 1.8 kg. It also improved physical performance, movement control, walking speed, functional independence, cognitive abilities, and self-esteem.
It also found resistance training may help prevention and management of type 2 diabetes by decreasing visceral fat and improving insulin sensitivity. It is thought it could also enhance cardiovascular health by reducing resting blood pressure and chosterol.
The benefits do not end there. Resistance training may promote bone development, with studies showing 1-3 per cent increase in bone mineral density. Resistance training may be effective for reducing low back pain and easing discomfort associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia.
And they do not have to be heavy weights. A Japanese review published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that just 30 to 60 minutes a week of strength training can help. Those who worked out for this duration had a 10-20 per cent lower risk of dying during the study period from all causes, and from cancer and heart disease specifically, compared to those who did no strength training. The benefits plateaued after one hour, and decreased after two hours.
US research actually found that those who chose aerobic exercise lost up to four times more fat than those who only chose to strength train, although it seems that weight training is better for fat loss and building lean muscle.