New research suggests that regular exercise can help protect you against bacterial infections.
If you have ever had a urinary tract infection, you know that they are no walk in the park (no pun intended). I am sure you have been told that you should always pee after sex to reduce your chances, but what if there was another answer, sitting right next to your front door (where you keep your running shoes)? A new study published by the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that regular physical exercise can help protect you against urinary tract infections, and other infections that are bacterial in nature.
The study followed 19,000 people in Denmark for one year, tracking their physical activities, whether they were competitive athletes, or generally sedentary.
Researchers from Aalborg University in Denmark then used national pharmacy data to get information on which people filled prescriptions for antibiotics. 22% of men, and 34% of women were taking at least one antibiotic for a bacterial infection.
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When it comes to UTIs, researchers found that people in the high-activity groups were 32% less likely to contract a UTI. In the moderate-activity group, that number lowered to 21%, and even low activity people were 10% less likely to contract a bacterial infection than those that were sedentary.
So the moral of the story here is that exercise, on any level can help benefit your health, especially when it comes to bacterial infections. If you are someone who suffers from UTIs often, try adding some exercise to your life, even if it is as simple as taking the stairs at work every day, or jogging around your block.
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