Studies

September 14, 2021

The New Science on How We Burn Calories

If you take in more calories or energy than you use, you gain weight; if the output is greater than the input, you lose it. But how does that change our understanding of obesity? NY Times

September 8, 2021

Exercise for 3 Minutes, Every Half-Hour, to Counter the Ill Effects of Sitting

Sitting for hours at a desk can play havoc with our metabolic health, contributing over time to high blood sugar and high cholesterol, even in people who otherwise seem mostly healthy. But a practical though small new study shows that standing up and moving every 30 minutes for about three minutes...

September 4, 2021

Why Fitter People Drink More Alcohol

Why Fitter People Drink More Alcohol. Regular exercisers drink more, a new study confirms, but they are less likely to be problem drinkers than less fit people. The association between exercise and drinking is perhaps due to a psychological phenomenon called “the licensing effect” - when you feel like rewarding...

August 31, 2021

Runners: gulp, don’t sip, your carbs on race day

New research shows that taking in larger amounts of carbohydrates less frequently is the better way to fuel during a race. Canadian Running t’s undeniable that carbohydrate intake during a long race improves performance, but exactly how much, what type and when you need it is less certain. Recently, researchers at Loughborough...

August 25, 2021

How Exercise May Help Keep Our Memory Sharp

Irisin, a hormone produced by muscles during exercise, can enter the brain and improve cognition, a mouse study suggests. NYT An intriguing new study shows how exercise may bolster brain health. The study was in mice, but it found that a hormone produced by muscles during exercise can cross into the brain...

August 19, 2021

Study: Beer may be a better post-workout drink than we previously thought

A systematic review on beer consumption related to endurance sports was published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism this July. Among the findings: Light beer could be a decent recovery aid post-exercise, even as good as water in some aspects. Men's Health

August 18, 2021

Gatorade Endurance Survey Finds ‘Safety Concerns’ As Primary Barrier For Minority Entry Into Endurance Sports

CHICAGO, Aug. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Gatorade Endurance released results from a survey* designed to identify and understand the barriers minority athletes (specifically People of Color, Black, LGBTQ+ and Disabled) face when considering participation in endurance sports, and how to overcome these barriers. Among the key findings, safety concerns – i.e., getting injured, hate...

August 12, 2021

What We Think We Know About Metabolism May Be Wrong

A new study challenges assumptions about energy expenditure by people, including the idea that metabolism slows at middle age. NYT

August 11, 2021

Exercise Vigorously for 4 Seconds. Repeat. Your Muscles May Thank You.

High-intensity interval training has surprising benefits for fitness and physical power, but don’t stay seated the rest of the day. A mere four seconds of all-out exercise, repeated two or three dozen times, could be all many of us need to build and maintain our fitness, strength and physical power,...

August 4, 2021

The Making of an Olympian

A new study of the athletic backgrounds of thousands of successful athletes finds that most world champions sample one sport after another as children and gain mastery in their chosen activities considerably later than other, more focused young athletes whom they eventually go on to defeat. NY Times

August 2, 2021

Why Open Water Swimming Can Make You Smarter

A growing body of research suggests that swimming might provide a unique boost to brain health. Regular swimming has been shown to improve memory, cognitive function, immune response and mood. Swimming may also help repair damage from stress and forge new neural connections in the brain. Adventure Journal

July 28, 2021

A Self-Professed Sweater Explores the Science Behind Stink

In her new book, ‘The Joy of Sweat,’ Sarah Everts answers all of our writer’s questions about perspiration. Outside

July 21, 2021

Lifting Weights? Your Fat Cells Would Like to Have a Word

We all know that lifting weights can build up our muscles. But by changing the inner workings of cells, weight training may also shrink fat, according to an enlightening new study of the molecular underpinnings of resistance exercise.  NYT

July 21, 2021

A Hot Fitness Trend Among Olympians: Blood Flow Restriction

Some athletes in Tokyo are indulging in a trendy technique to enhance the effects of training and stimulate recovery. NYT

July 15, 2021

How Hot Is Too Hot to Run?

As events as big as the Olympic Trials get rescheduled because of heat, Women’s Running went to the science to find out how you should decide when it is too hot to run safely. Women’s Running

July 15, 2021

What makes a city runnable? Canadian researchers find out.

A team from Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., surveyed over 1,200 recreational runners about what makes a city a good place to run. Their goal was to investigate the type of built and natural environments road runners prefer, as well as the safety and health concerns that may affect...

July 13, 2021

ACSM / Anthem American Fitness Index to Reveal 2021 Fittest Cities

The American College of Sports Medicine and the Anthem Foundation published its annual American Fitness Index ranking the nation’s 100 most populous cities by 34 variables of personal health behaviors, outcomes and community indicators such as air quality and walkability. Find out how your city rated here.

July 12, 2021

Athletes more likely than non-athletes to have irregular heartbeats

Researchers analyzed 13 studies between 1990 and December 2020 which examined the health of athletes who took part in sports including cycling, running, swimming, Nordic skiing, orienteering, rowing, football, rugby and netball. The studies included data on 70,478 participants. Researchers found the risk of atrial fibrillation was 2.46 times higher among...

July 8, 2021

Will Women Ultrarunners Surpass the Best Men?

A new science paper explores the subject at great depth, and concludes that it's possible, but not likely. Women's Running Last October, Courtney Dauwalter won the Big’s Backyard Ultra in Bell Buckle, Tennessee, tying the course record. Over almost three days, she covered 283.33 miles to beat all the men....

July 7, 2021

Fitbits Detect Lasting Changes After Covid-19

Some people recovering from a coronavirus infection had an elevated heart rate for months, according to a new study. NYT

July 2, 2021

Is marijuana a performance-enhancing drug? The best evidence says no

Weed isn't going to help you win the Olympic Gold. One of America’s top sprinters, Sha’Carri Richardson, won the women’s 100-meter event at the U.S. track and field trials in June. She was set to make her Olympic debut in Tokyo this month, but tested positive for marijuana following her...

June 29, 2021

A New Study Suggests Employee Wellness Programs Are Pretty Much Useless

Employee wellness programs neither make workers healthier nor save companies money, says new research out of Harvard and the University of Chicago. Inc.

June 18, 2021

Aging process is unstoppable, finds unprecedented study

An unprecedented study has now confirmed that we probably cannot slow the rate at which we get older because of biological constraints. The statistics confirmed, individuals live longer as health and living conditions improve which leads to increasing longevity across an entire population. Nevertheless, a steep rise in death rates,...

June 16, 2021

Lifelong Exercise Adds Up to Big Health Care Savings

According to a new study of exercise and Medicare claims. It finds that people who start to exercise before or during middle age typically save anywhere from $824 to $1,874 annually on health care costs after retirement, and the earlier they start their workouts, the greater those savings can be....

June 9, 2021

The Best Type of Exercise? A Blood Test Holds Clues

a fascinating new study of more than 650 men and women suggests that the levels of certain proteins in our bloodstreams might foretell whether and how we will respond to various exercise regimens. NYT (paywall)