InsideTracker, the leading personalized health analysis and data-driven wellness guide that helps people live healthier longer, today published a peer-reviewed paper in the Journal PLOS ONE, demonstrating a dose-effect relationship between improved blood biomarkers and running volume. The study of over 27,000 generally healthy adults showed data confirming the extent of running directly corresponded with the improvements people saw in various blood diagnostics including magnesium levels, metabolic markers, chronic inflammation, and hormonal traits.
Physical inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and death worldwide. It increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes by 20–30%. The effectiveness of exercise in modifying blood biomarkers towards disease mitigation has been widely proven in professional athletes and individuals facing health issues, but less research has been conducted to understand the full effects of running in a generally healthy population.
The peer-reviewed paper published in PLOS ONE found that running regularly was associated with improved metabolic markers like A1C, glucose, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, which can inform the risk of diabetes, stroke, vascular disease, heart attack and heart disease. The data also found that running regularly had an impact on magnesium levels, which is an essential component for healthy muscles, nerves, bones and blood sugar balance.
“We were pleasantly surprised to see a dose-response relationship concerning exercise volume and blood biomarker levels in this already relatively healthy population, suggesting how powerful a lever exercise can be in iterative metabolic optimization across the health spectrum,” said author Bartek Nogal, Ph.D., Principal Scientist at InsideTracker. “Another interesting finding was that exercise in the form of running appeared to attenuate people’s genetic risk for weight gain nearly universally.”
Other key findings from InsideTracker’s research include:
- Endurance exercise correlates with lower BMI across categories of genetic risk, demonstrating that even people predisposed to higher BMI can make positive changes with lifestyle adjustments
- Individuals who reported regular running habits were also more likely to partake in other healthy behaviors (i.e. sleep, diet, etc.)
- Running regularly was associated with reduced chronic inflammation (versus acute inflammation)
“This study is another milestone in our ongoing efforts to provide personalized programs for improved healthspan,” said author Gil Blander, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at InsideTracker. “While this study isn’t prescriptive in nature, it’s possible that, in combination with wearables-based, objective measures of physical activity, we can use this information in the future to recommend optimal levels of training for each individual and provide personalized guidance for training, performance, and better overall health versus blanket recommendations. For example, we may suggest a user run for 25 minutes, three times a week to improve their LDL, while another user may need to run for 60 minutes daily to improve their glucose.”
About InsideTracker
Founded in 2009 and created by experts in the fields of aging, genetics, and biometric data, InsideTracker is the first healthspan optimization platform to combine blood diagnostics, self-reported lifestyle habits, wearable data, and DNA scores to provide users with a detailed look at their unique health profile. InsideTracker provides a personal health analysis and data-driven wellness guide designed to help you live healthier longer. The platform is truly science-backed, synthesizing peer-reviewed research studies and cutting-edge A.I. technology to create personalized recommendations for members. Read InsideTracker’s peer-reviewed papers in Scientific Reports and Current Developments in Nutrition. Follow InsideTracker on Instagram, X, and Facebook.
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