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Exercise
The only way
to avoid losing muscle is through strength-training, which
means contracting your muscles a few times against a heavy
load. Even regular aerobic exercise (contracting your
muscles many times with little or no resistance) doesn't
prevent loss of muscle mass.
The American College of Sports Medicine, in
their Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription,
says that:
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The benefits of physical activity
(see below) are well-established, and emerging studies continue to support an important role for habitual exercise in maintaining overall health and well-being. Persuasive epidemiological and laboratory evidence shows that regular exercise protects against the development and progression of many chronic diseases and is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. Recent studies correlating changes in physical activity in initially sedentary adults with subsequent reductions in mortality have supported the hypotheses that regular activity increases longevity. The public health benefits of increasing physical activity with the general population are potentially enormous due to both the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and the impact of activity on disease risk. Furthermore, data in recent years suggest that the threshold necessary for the health benefits of exercise, such as significantly lowering chronic disease risk, is lower than previously thought. There is a clear inverse relationship between activity and mortality risk across activity categories, and the risk profile indicates that some exercise is better than none, and more exercise--up to a point--is better than less. Thus, public health efforts should be directed toward getting more people more active more of the time rather than elevating everyone to an arbitrary fitness or activity level. |
Benefits Associated with Exercise
From The American College of Sports
Medicine's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and
Prescription
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Improvement in Cardiorespiratory
Function
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Increased maximal oxygen uptake
due to both central and peripheral adaptations
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Lower myocardial oxygen cost for
a given absolute submaximal intensity
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Lower heart rate and blood
pressure at a given submaximal intensity
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Increased exercise threshold for
the accumulation of lactate in the blood -
Increased exercise threshold for
the onset of disease symptoms (e.g., angina
pectoris)
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Reduction in Coronary Artery Disease Risk Factors
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(Modestly) reduced resting systolic and
diastolic pressures in hypertensives -
Increased serum high density lipoprotein (HDL)
cholesterol and decreased serum triglycerides -
Reduced body fatness
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Reduced insulin needs, improved glucose
tolerance
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Decreased Mortality and Morbidity
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Primary prevention
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Lower activity and/or fitness levels are
associated with higher death rates from
coronary artery disease (CAD)
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Secondary prevention
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Few randomized exercise studies have had a
sufficient number of patients and duration
to demonstrate the protective effects of
exercise; however, most randomized trials
report a positive effect of exercise on
longevity
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Meta-analyses (pooled data across studies)
involving post-MI patients provide
supportive evidence that a comprehensive
cardiac rehabilitation program can reduce
premature cardiovascular mortality but
probably not nonfatal events
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Other Postulated Benefits
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Decreased anxiety and depression
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Enhanced feelings of well-being
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Enhanced performance of work, recreational, and
sport activities
There are
many studies showing the benefits of exercise for HIV+
people at many stages of the illness. The Internet is a good
resource. Try surfing
HIVNET and reading the abstracts that seem right for
you. Download the articles that are most useful.
Another factor that
contributes to maintaining your muscle mass is your level of naturally
occurring chemicals called anabolic steroids. Men who have below-normal
levels of "free" testosterone may benefit from testosterone replacement
therapy. Women who are suffering from muscle wasting may find oxandrolone
useful. Before trying anything on your own, be sure to talk to your primary
health care provider about your questions so a plan can be tailored to meet
your needs.
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