Emerging research reveals a surprising twist: while regular physical activity benefits everyone, men may require significantly more weekly exercise than women to achieve equivalent cardiovascular protection.
What the Study Found
A large-scale observational study using data from over 85,000 adults found that women achieved greater reductions in coronary heart disease (CHD) risk at lower levels of weekly activity than men. Healthline+1
- Women who met the standard guideline of ~150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity had a 22% lower risk of CHD, whereas men saw a 17% reduction under the same threshold. Healthline+1
- To reach a ~30% reduction in CHD risk, women needed around 250 minutes per week, while men needed approximately 530 minutes per week — more than double. The Guardian+1
- In participants who already had CHD, active women had a 70% lower mortality risk compared with a 19% reduction for men. To match that 70% benefit, men had to exercise ~1.7 × more than women. Healthline+1
Why Might Women Get Greater Benefit at Lower Levels of Exercise?
Researchers suggest several possible explanations:
- Hormonal differences (for example, higher circulating estrogen in females) may confer additional cardiovascular protection. Healthline+1
- Differences in muscle fibre composition, metabolism, or blood-vessel responsiveness might play a role. The Guardian
- It’s also noted that while women may exercise less overall, the relative “jump” in fitness may be greater when they do engage. The Guardian
What This Means for Exercise Guidelines & Heart Health
- The current guidelines from American Heart Association (AHA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week for adults. Healthline+1
- But this new study suggests that a one-size-fits-all recommendation may not really capture the full story — particularly when it comes to sex differences. Some experts believe exercise guidelines may need to be refined to account for distinct benefits by sex. The Guardian+1
- Importantly: This doesn’t mean men shouldn’t aim for the standard 150 minutes. It means that men might need to push further beyond that baseline to get similar risk reductions. And for women—knowing the benefit is strong even at moderate levels of activity may encourage more consistent movement.
Practical Take-aways for Your Workout Plan
- If you’re a woman, aim for the standard 150 minutes/week of moderate-vigorous aerobic activity as a minimum, and recognize that this may already yield strong heart-health benefits.
- If you’re a man, treat 150 minutes/week as a starting point, not the ceiling. To achieve equivalent risk reduction, aim toward 300–500+ minutes/week, spread across the week.
- In both cases, mix in both aerobic (e.g., brisk walking, cycling, jogging) and strength-training or muscle-strengthening activities regularly (2+ days/week) to optimize cardiovascular and overall health.
- Habit matters: Less than half of U.S. adults currently meet the standard guidelines, so getting into a consistent routine is the first key step. Healthline
- Cardio health is one piece of the puzzle — don’t neglect other heart-health essentials such as blood-pressure and cholesterol monitoring, diet, sleep and avoiding tobacco use.
Summary
In short: Both men and women benefit from regular physical activity — but women may gain more heart-health “bang for the buck” at lower volumes than men. That means men may need to commit to higher weekly activity levels to achieve the same heart-risk reductions. Use the standard guideline as a baseline, but tailor your targets and mindset accordingly.
