Written By: Satata Karmakar | Updated : May 10, 2026 2:48 PM IST
Medically Verified By: Dr. Akhil Kumar Rustagi
Why are heart attacks more common in men? Study reveals why more exercise may protect the heart
Recent studies also indicate that males might also require an excessive amount of physical exercising in comparison to females in order to get the same degree of cardiovascular protection, which throws more light on how exercise can vary by sex in terms of cardiovascular protection. Cardiovascular disease CVD is a major cause of death in the world, and the importance of learning how exercise helps to prevent it is vital in the need to prevent it among both men and women.
According to Nature cardiovascular Research, a large scale study that involved data on hundreds of thousands of adults to study the effects of different degrees of physical activity on cardiovascular outcomes. The researchers assessed moderate to vigorous physical activity of the participants on a weekly basis and monitored the cases of heart attack, heart failure, stroke and cardiovascular related death cases over a period of several years.
The results showed that there was a great difference between men and women regarding the impact of exercise on the risk of heart disease. Although both genders enjoyed the benefits of regular physical exercise, women gained significant cardiovascular protection through the lower amount of exercise activities than men. Instead, men required additional minutes of exercise a week in order to achieve equivalent cardiovascular risk reduction.
How to prevent a heart attack?
In an exclusive interaction with TheHealthSite.com, Dr. Akhil Kumar Rustagi, Senior Director and HOD - cardiothoracic and vascular surgery (CTVS), cardiac sciences, ShardaCare-Healthcity (Cardiac Sciences), explained -- "This was found to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 24 percent in women who had moderate exercise, about 140 minutes a week. By comparison, it took men approximately 300 minutes a week to experience a similar risk reduction. This is an indication that smaller portions of physical exercise can bring more heart health benefits to women."
Professionals point out that this does not imply that men are disadvantaged. Rather it points out the biological and physiological differences between sexes. The difference in the effect of exercise on men and women can be related to hormonal effects, body structure, metabolic processes, and cardiovascular efficiency.
Regular physical exercise enhances the health of the heart in the following ways:
These advantages lessen the threat of the contraction of diseases like coronary artery disease, stroke, and heart failure. According to such organisations as the American Heart Association, adults, of either sex, should have at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic activity at least once a week.
Benefits of regular workouts.
It is hypothesised by researchers that estrogen could act as protection to the cardiovascular systems of women, especially before menopause. Women also experience other fat distribution patterns and vascular reactions to exercise, which might be the reason why they experience greater returns with less exercise.
The baseline rates of cardiovascular disease are usually higher in men, and they may need more sustained or vigorous physical activity to counter the risk factors, such as increased visceral fat and increased levels of blood pressure.
The results back the concept of individualised workout prescription as opposed to the one size fits all model. Though the existing guidelines give a baseline to all people, this study indicates that men may strive to reach a higher level of activity in order to gain the maximum cardiovascular protection.
Notably, the study supports the fact that even minimal exercise is not worse than no exercise. Both men and women gained much in terms of lowering their chances of heart disease compared to the people who were inactive.
If you are worried about your cardiovascular health, ensure to follow these exercise tips for better results:
To end with, even though women could benefit from heart conditions with reduced exercise, men could also significantly reduce cardiovascular diseases risk by raising the level of physical activity. The main point is to keep it short and sweet which means exercising more, exercise regularly, and adjusting the exercise to the specifics of personal health to achieve maximum protection to the heart.
Disclaimer: Dear readers, this article provides general information and advice only. It is not at all professional medical advice. Therefore, always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for more information on managing heart health and keeping your cardiovascular health properly aligned. TheHealthSite.com does not claim responsibility for this information.
