When it comes to maintaining overall health, experts recommend walking 10,000 steps daily, a practice that can offer numerous benefits for physical and mental health. However, some researchers believe that there may be another form of exercise that is more effective for enhancing heart health. A new study suggests that climbing just five sets of stairs daily (with one set equating to 10 steps) could reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. The benefits appeared to be greater for those who climbed ten or more sets, according to a decade-long study involving 400,000 Britons.
Climbing stairs provides a brief bout of high-intensity exercise, similar to jumping or aerobics. Other examples of such activities, which the National Health Service recommends doing for 75 minutes per week, include running, swimming, and cycling at a fast pace. Researchers from Tulane University monitored the health of 458,860 individuals in the UK for an average of 12.5 years. Participants were asked how often they climbed stairs at the beginning of the study and again after five years.
During the study, 39,043 individuals developed atherosclerosis, a condition where arteries narrow, making it difficult for blood to flow through them. Results published in the journal "Atherosclerosis" showed that participants who climbed five sets of stairs daily were 3% less likely to develop atherosclerosis compared to those who did not climb stairs. Meanwhile, volunteers who climbed at least six sets daily were 16% less at risk.
Researchers concluded that climbing more than five sets of stairs (around 50 steps) is linked to a reduced risk of diseases that could lead to heart attacks and strokes. Dr. Lu Qi, the study's author, stated, "Short bouts of high-intensity stair climbing are a time-efficient way to improve cardiorespiratory fitness... especially among those unable to meet current physical activity recommendations." He pointed out that the results "highlight the potential benefits of stair climbing" as a preventive measure against atherosclerosis.
However, the study was observational and does not imply that climbing stairs directly reduces participants' risk of cardiovascular diseases. Nonetheless, the results add to a substantial body of evidence suggesting that even simple exercises can help improve health. In addition to boosting heart health, experts say that climbing stairs burns double the calories compared to walking and strengthens the lungs and muscles.
