Can Vigorous Exercise Lower Risk of Cataracts and Macular Degeneration?
March 3, 2009
NaturalNews is reporting that two recent studies conducted by the United States Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory show that vigorous exercise could lower the risk of cataracts as well as age-related macular degeneration.
The studies, published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, followed about 29,000 male runners and 12,000 female runners. At the conclusion of the study, 733 of the male runners reported a cataract diagnosis; the number of women who reported having the condition was not significant enough for analysis.
Among other things, researchers found that males who ran more than 5.7 miles each day had a 35% reduced risk of developing cataracts, as compared to men who hit the road less than 1.4 miles each day. Using the men’s performances in 10-kilometer races, it was also found that the fittest men had only 50% the cataract risk of those who were the least fit.
Another study looked at the link between running and aged-related macular degeneration. From the 152 men and women who reported a diagnosis of this condition, those who ran between 1.2 and 2.4 miles each day experienced a 19% reduced risk, as compared to those who covered less than 1.2 miles each day. The corresponding decrease in risk for those whose daily mileage was over 2.4 miles was between 42% and 54%.
Click here to read the full release of the study results on NaturalNews.
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