In this article we try to explain what is optimal for our health and longevity, aerobic or anaerobic exercise.

The benefits of regular exercise are well documented. The latter can help maintain a healthy weight, improve cardiorespiratory fitness, strengthen muscles, enhance mental health and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases.

However, when it comes to exercise, the question often arises as to which type of exercise is best. The answer depends on the individual's fitness goals, but as we will see, for optimal health and longevity a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise is recommended.

Aerobic exercise is a type of physical activity that involves the use of large muscle groups and can be sustained over a long period of time.

The key features of aerobic exercise include:

• Increased heart rate and breathing: During aerobic activities, heart rate and respiration rate increase to provide more oxygen to the muscles.
• Focus on endurance: aerobic exercises are generally performed for prolonged durations, usually ranging from a few minutes to hours. They are less intense compared to anaerobic exercises, but are sustained for longer periods of time.
• Metabolism based mainly on oxygen: Most of the energy required for aerobic activities is produced by carbohydrate and fat metabolism using oxygen, which differs from anaerobic exercise, where the body's demand for oxygen exceeds its supply.

Examples of aerobic exercises include walking, running/jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing, rowing, etc.

On the other hand, anaerobic exercise is a type of physical activity that involves intense bursts of effort or exercise in which the demand for oxygen exceeds the supply of oxygen.

Unlike aerobic exercise, which relies on oxygen to produce energy for longer periods of time, anaerobic activities are performed in short, fast, high-intensity bursts where the energy comes mainly from energy sources stored in the muscles.

The key features of anaerobic exercise include:

• High intensity: These exercises are performed at a high level of intensity, often near maximal effort.
• Short duration: due to their intensity, anaerobic exercises can only be sustained for short periods of time, usually lasting a few seconds.
• Energy production: The body relies primarily on energy sources stored in the muscles, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate, rather than oxygen, to fuel activity.
• Building muscle mass: Anaerobic exercises are effective for building strength, muscle mass and power.

Examples of anaerobic exercises include weight training, weightlifting, powerlifting, calisthenics, plyometrics and training with a resistance band.

AEROBIC EXERCISE, ANAEROBIC EXERCISE AND MORTALITY

Most studies suggest that following only the guidelines for moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity is associated with a 15% to 35% reduced risk of all-cause mortality, while following only the guidelines for muscle-strengthening physical activity is associated with a 10% to 25% reduced risk. On the other hand, adherence to both guidelines is consistently associated with the greatest risk reduction for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer (30% to 45%).

For cardiovascular disease mortality, following only the guidelines for moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity is associated with 20% to 35% reduced risk, whereas following only the guidelines for muscle-strengthening physical activity suggests mixed results. On the other hand, adherence to both guidelines is associated with the greatest reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease mortality (45% to 60%).

In terms of cancer mortality, following only the guidelines for moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity is associated with a 20% to 25% reduced risk, while following only the guidelines for muscle strengthening physical activity is associated with a 15% to 35% reduced risk. On the other hand, adherence to both guidelines is associated with 30% to 40% reduced risk of cancer mortality.

Overall, concurrent adherence to the guidelines of moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening physical activity appears to consistently show the greatest reduction in risk for mortality outcomes compared with adherence to only one of the two guidelines.

AEROBIC EXERCISE, ANAEROBIC EXERCISE AND CHRONIC DISEASES

Overall, research suggests that moderate to vigorous aerobic physical activity and muscle strengthening physical activity have independent associations with various cardiometabolic risk factors. Cross-sectional studies suggest that adherence to the guidelines of either moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity or muscle-strengthening physical activity is associated with lower odds of obesity, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, high triglycerides and metabolic syndrome.

However, there is evidence that the combination of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity and muscle strengthening physical activity is associated with lower incidence rates of these conditions.

Research shows that adherence to both guidelines is associated with 35% to 50% reduced risk of obesity, 25% reduced risk of metabolic syndrome and 21% reduced risk of hypercholesterolemia compared to adherence to neither guideline.

In addition, there is 40% to 67% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes among people performing both moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening physical activity compared with inactivity in both types of physical activity. Similarly, individuals performing only moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity have a similar reduction in risk ranging from 40% to 60%. Although the associations between adherence to only muscle-strengthening physical activity guidelines and type 2 diabetes risk are unclear, with some studies reporting significant risk reduction and others finding no significant associations in observational studies, the studies suggest that combined exercise may offer greater benefits for health outcomes.

In conclusion, for optimal health and longevity, a combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercises is recommended. Both forms of exercise offer unique and complementary benefits, and engaging in both can provide an integrated approach to fitness that enhances physical health, mental well-being and longevity.

However, any form of regular physical activity is better than no physical activity at all. So find activities you enjoy, make exercise part of your daily routine and reap the health benefits of exercise.

-Suprastratum: The authority on health, fitness and nutrition

Sources/bibliography/more reading:

• Brellenthin AG, Bennie JA, Lee DC. Aerobic or Muscle-Strengthening Physical Activity: Which Is Better for Health? Curr Sports Med Rep. 2022 Aug 1;21(8):272-279. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000981. PMID: 35946846; PMCID: PMC9373235.
• Phillips SM, Ma JK, Rawson ES. The Coming of Age of Resistance Exercise as a Primary Form of Exercise for Health. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal. 2023 Nov;27(6):19-25. doi: 10.1249/FIT.0000000000000916.