Men May Need Nearly Double The Exercise Minutes To Cut Heart Disease Risk: New 2025 Research Explained

Exercise works like preventive medicine for the heart — but new evidence suggests the “effective dose” is not identical for everyone.

A large new UK based study shows that men may need almost twice the weekly exercise compared to women to achieve the same reduction in coronary heart disease risk.

What the research found

Researchers analysed more than 85,000 adults aged 37 to 73. Each participant wore an accelerometer for seven days, which offered precise real-time activity measurement. Their health outcomes were then tracked for just under eight years.

The result:

This pattern also appeared in participants who were already diagnosed with heart disease.

Women with coronary disease needed nearly 51 minutes of weekly activity to reduce their risk of death by 30 percent — men needed around 85 minutes.

Why this difference exists

Women tend to have higher natural oestrogen levels. Oestrogen supports healthier blood vessel function and boosts the ability to burn fat as energy during endurance style activity.

Women also generally have a larger percentage of slow twitch muscle fibres — which are ideal for longer sustained movement such as walking or steady cycling.

These biological differences mean women seem to get a stronger “return on investment” for each minute of activity.

Everyone still benefits from moving more

This study does not suggest women should lower their exercise targets or that men cannot reach the benefits. It only reveals that the “amount needed” to receive the same protective effect may not be identical between sexes.

The researchers also point out:

• data captured with devices is more accurate than self reporting
• more weekly activity linked to greater cardiovascular protection for both men and women
• the volunteers came from the UK Biobank and were generally healthier than average — so results may not perfectly apply to all population groups

What this means for guidelines

WHO, AHA and NHS exercise recommendations today are gender neutral. This study challenges that practice.

In future, physical activity guidance could shift toward more personalised targets — especially inside cardiac rehabilitation systems.

For now — core advice stays simple:

Move more, sit less, and aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity every week.

Bottom line

Regular movement benefits every heart — but the exact weekly “dose” for maximum protection might not be one size fits all.