10 HEALTH BENEFITS OF RUNNING DAILY - ARTE - 2025

The benefits of running / running for physical and mental health are many, and they have also been proven by numerous scientific studies. Physical exercise promotes health in general, it is more than proven. If you don't have the time, desire, or money to pay for a gym, jogging or running is an excellent option to get in shape and get all the benefits of physical activity.

Running serves to improve your physical and mental health. You can no longer make excuses. Lack of time? 30 minutes a day is enough. Even a study I comment on in the article showed that running as little as 5 to 10 minutes daily reduces the risk of some diseases.

Everyday? It is not necessary, 3-5 days per week is sufficient. Are you not in shape? It doesn't matter, you can start with a low intensity. Don't have where to do it? You can do it in the city, parks, gym, static tape…

The main health benefits of running for women and men

1-Running improves brain activity

A study conducted by the University of South Carolina found that physical exercise is capable of increasing the number of mitochondria not only in the muscles, but also in the brain.

Mitochondria generate energy for the functioning of cells, that is why the muscles whose fibers have more mitochondria feel less fatigue and therefore have more resistance.

Similarly, increased mitochondrial biogenesis in brain cells can also help prevent fatigue, but it is also potentially capable of reducing the risk of various diseases of the central nervous system and certain dementias, frequently characterized by poor function of mitochondria.

Additionally, this increased mitochondria in the brain may help you think better or more clearly, according to the opinion of Dr. Davis, a co-author of the study.

Fortunately, you don't have to go out for marathons to reap these benefits. Jogging for 30 minutes daily for a few weeks is enough to stimulate the formation of new mitochondria and thus improve the functioning of your neurons.

2-Avoid depression

Going for a run can help you feel better for many reasons. But one of them is that moderate physical exercise stimulates the expression of a gene that has an important antidepressant effect.

According to data from a study conducted by Yale University, mice that ran 3 km on their wheel every night for a week had markedly increased expression of the VGF gene (among others), which had an important antidepressant effect on compared to mice that remained sedentary.

The identification of the VGF gene is one of the possible explanations for why physical exercise can work as an antidepressant, which until now was not very clear.

In addition, when running increases the production of endorphins and certain neurotransmitters that promote the feeling of general well-being. Many report experiencing a "high" feeling when running, due to the secretion of beta endorphins, which are natural opiates.

On the other hand, there is also scientific evidence showing that the habit of running increases the secretion of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. These substances are neurotransmitters known for their important and beneficial influence on mood.

3-Helps prevent cancer

Did you know that running can lower the risk of colon, breast, prostate, and lung cancer, and that it can also increase the survival rate in people who already have cancer?

Colon cancer is one of the most studied types of cancer, in terms of its relationship with physical exercise, having carried out more than 50 investigations in this regard.

The results of these studies allow us to affirm that people who increase their physical activity, in duration, intensity or frequency, can reduce the risk of developing colon cancer by 30% or 40%, compared to those who lead a sedentary life, without matter what your body mass index is

The more active the person is, the lower the risk of developing this type of cancer. It is recommended to go jogging or running for 30 to 60 minutes daily; it is what it takes to make the most of this benefit.

As for breast cancer, something similar happens. More than 60 studies from North America, Europe, Asia and Australia show that women who are more active and exercise frequently have a lower risk of breast cancer.

On the other hand, frequent joggers can also lower the risk of lung cancer. This has been shown by 21 scientific investigations that show a 20% reduction in the risk of developing this disease in individuals who perform vigorous physical exercise.

Although the mechanism is not clear, studies carried out also showed that those who go for a run or do moderate physical exercise can reduce the probability of developing prostate cancer, possibly due to hormonal changes, stimulation of immunity and antioxidant effects, among others.

Finally, physical exercise has also been shown to have a beneficial effect on people with cancer. In one study, going for a run or walking increased the survival rate in women with breast cancer, also improving the feeling of well-being in patients and favoring the prognosis of the evolution of the disease.

In addition, going for a run may also increase the survival rate among people who have been diagnosed with colon cancer. People who started exercising after diagnosis had a lower risk of recurrence, and in this group, survival rate improved.

4-Avoid arthritis

Despite the fact that running involves a great impact on the knees and other joints, there is no evidence that jogging increases the risk of suffering from arthritis, quite the opposite.

People who run regularly are actually at lower risk for this condition, according to the results of a study of 75,000 runners.

Researchers at the University of Queens in Kingston, Ontario, dedicated to studying the causes of this effect, found that those who run actually cause less of a net impact on their knees, compared to those who walk.

When running, it takes fewer strides to cover a certain distance. Although the force exerted on the knees is greater than when walking, as the impact is made fewer times, this could promote long-term knee health.

There is also data to suggest that the cartilage in the knee joint may be strengthened by running, which would also help prevent arthritis.

5-Decreases the risk of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects millions of people around the world. Recent studies indicate that going for a run helps to increase the mineral density of the bones, thus avoiding the lack of calcium that causes osteoporosis.

Research by scientists at the University of Missouri has found that high-impact activities such as running or jogging have a positive effect on mineral density in bones.

It should also be taken into account that the bones that suffer the most from the stress of exercise are the ones that will be strengthened. In the case of runners, the legs and hips would be the bones that increase their density.

In addition, dynamic exercises in which intense, high-impact, and multi-directional forces are applied, such as in soccer or basketball, are also good options for strengthening bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis.

6-Avoid cardiovascular diseases

Do you think you don't have time to do an exercise that effectively improves your health? Well, take a look at this news: a recent study reveals that running for just 5 to 10 minutes a day can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

A group of researchers conducted a study on 55,000 adults in the United States, aged between 18 and 100 years. A quarter of this group were runners, while the rest were not.

The study revealed that after a few years, runners had a 45% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and also had a 30% lower mortality from any cause.

And the most surprising thing is that those who ran for a longer time, for example, more than two hours a week, obtained the same benefits as those who spent only a few minutes running a day.

Running is a better option than walking in these cases, because with running the health benefits can be achieved more quickly, says Lee, an assistant professor in the department of Kinesiology at Iowa State University, who conducted the study.

7-Prevents premature aging

Running also helps prevent premature aging of all tissues, according to a study whose results were published in 2011 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The research was carried out in mice, and it showed that the group of rodents that ran on their wheel for 45 minutes three times a week, showed a greater amount of mitochondria in practically all their organs and tissues, compared to those that did not. exercised.

Within a few weeks, the mice that ran looked younger and more active than those that didn't. This may explain why exercise is also capable of reducing the risk of diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure or colon cancer in humans, diseases associated with tissue aging.

Even if you only meet the minimum recommended physical activity (30 minutes, five times a week), you will live longer. A study published in the journal PLOS Medicine found that when people began to exercise, they lived longer. Smokers who decided to exercise added 4 years to their lives.

So now you know, going for a run two or three times a week, or maybe a few minutes daily can have a very positive influence on your health.

8-Help improve your memory

Memory is one of the functions of the brain that gives medicine the most headaches. Conditions such as dementia or Alzheimer's are increasingly rebounding in society, and so far there is more information about their prevention than about treatments.

This is when running comes into play. According to research published in Psychological Reports, it was determined that those who walked or ran on a treadmill had more memory capacity than those who were sedentary.

The reason is that exercise helps neurons connect and communicate with each other, reducing the chances of suffering from mental illnesses or those linked to memory loss.

9-Strengthen your lungs

If you are a sedentary person who has decided to start running, you will notice that one of the organs that are most affected are the lungs. It will be difficult for you to breathe due to the overexertion they must make so that you can continue running.

If you are consistent in exercising, your lungs will improve their ability to deliver oxygen to you. This is because they learn to coordinate your breathing with your footfall, thus making the bloodstream act more efficiently.

This strengthening will not only increase your resistance when running, but activities such as climbing stairs or walking will be easier and more enjoyable. In addition, you will prevent diseases such as bronchitis or pneumonia.

10-Improve our balance

Running helps improve our entire lower musculoskeletal system in a remarkable way. This includes the ligaments and tendons, two of the main tissues that keep us in balance.

In addition, running improves our cervical posture, causing us to adopt more suitable positions for locomotor stability. The result is greater physical well-being and a lower risk of injury from poor posture or falls.