We don’t need to tell you that women prefer fit men. We don’t need to tell you that fancy medical studies consistently find that women rate muscular men as more attractive, and that muscular men report more lifetime female sex partners and short-term partners compared to other men. We don’t need to -- but we just did. Although exercising to increase your attractiveness to the opposite sex might be seen as somewhat of a shallow endeavor, there is no denying it works.
No.9 - Increases self-esteem
When you exercise, you feel good. Not only does exercise increase your attractiveness, thereby, increasing your self-esteem, but exercise also directly fights depression. Depression is related to low levels of certain neurotransmitters like serotonin and norepinephrine. Exercise, however, tends to increase the concentration of these neurotransmitters and also stimulates the release of endorphins, the feel-good neurotransmitter that resemble opiates in their ability to block feelings of pain.
No.8 - Fights dementia
You’ve already learned that exercise has an effect on the brain to improve mood. As it turns out, the effects of exercise on the brain are far more profound. One of the most exciting changes that exercise causes is neurogenesis, or the creation of new neurons. Because mental disorders like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s progress via the loss of neurons, exercise may have a preventative effect. And this is exactly what a large study out of Finland found back in 2005. The study, published in Lancet Neurology, followed nearly 1,500 middle-aged individuals for more than 21 years and found that regular leisure-time activity greatly decreased the risk of developing dementia later in life.
No.7 - Fights obesity and boosts weight loss
This is one of those benefits that are so obvious that it almost doesn’t need to be said -- almost. But a list of exercise benefits wouldn’t be complete if we were to exclude the fact that regular exercise, particularly cardio, will help you lose weight. The only problem is that exercise needs to be paired with proper dieting to have a lasting impact. If you exercise regularly but eat poorly, or conversely, if you eat healthy but rarely exercise, you’ll always have trouble battling the bulge. Pair the two for long-lasting success.
No.6 - Eases anxiety
Part of the benefit of changing the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain during exercise is the relief of stress that follows. But the impact of exercise on stress doesn’t stop there. Exercise also increases body temperature, which may have a calming effect, it helps you gain confidence, it takes your mind off of your worries, gets you more socially involved, and, lastly, it lets you cope with your anxiety in a healthy way (compared to drinking your sorrows away, which will probably increase anxiety over the long-term). These broader benefits ensure a more permanent reduction of stress.
No.5 - Lowers risk of high blood pressure
High blood pressure is one of the biggest killers in the Western world. As blood pressure climbs, the risk of heart disease and stroke accelerates as well. But it doesn’t have to. Numerous studies have found that exercise reduces the risk of high blood pressure (i.e., hypertension). In fact, major sports organizations, such as the American College of Sports Medicine, have stated that exercise is a cornerstone therapy for the primary prevention, treatment and control of hypertension.
No.4 - Lowers risk of diabetes
Diabetes is one of the most widespread diseases on the planet. As of 2000, at least 170 million or nearly 3% of the entire population suffered from diabetes -- and that number is most certainly larger today and will continue to rise for the foreseeable future. There is, however, hope on the horizon. Exercise not only improves weight loss (and obesity is a huge risk factor for diabetes), but it also appears to reduce the risk of adult-onset diabetes in individuals who are already overweight or obese.
No.3 - Reduces prostate symptoms
This one should really hit home for men since disorders of the prostate, like benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), are one of the most common ailments afflicting men. Thankfully, several studies have recently emerged suggesting that regular exercise can reduce symptoms (such as slowed urinary flow rate) in those suffering from BPH. Exercise has also been found to reduce the side effects following prostate surgery for those men with prostate cancer. Although it’s still unclear whether exercise reduces the risk of prostate cancer, exercise may reduce the risk of other cancers, as you’ll soon find out.
No.2 - Prevents cancer and improves outlook for those with cancer
While there is little information on the effects of exercise across all cancers in men, there is compelling evidence that exercise, particularly exercise of moderate intensity, greatly reduces the risk of colorectal cancer. Even more exciting are a handful of well-conducted studies finding that regular physical activity in the months following treatment of colorectal cancer may decrease the risk of the cancer returning and will also decrease the risk of death due to cancer. Although all of these findings only pertain to colorectal cancer, it’s not unbelievable to think that this may hold true for other cancers as well.
No.1 - Reduces erectile dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a disorder that afflicts many men. Though ED’s immediate effects are obvious, the long-reaching effects it has on a man’s stress, anxiety and depression are less obvious and can be devastating, which is why it’s so exciting to learn that exercise can improve erectile function. In fact, the European Association of Urology has gone as far as giving its strongest grading to a recommendation that lifestyle modification (including intensive exercise and a decrease in body mass index) can improve erectile function. That should give ED sufferers everywhere a reason to stand up and cheer.
