blog

Apr 10

I can't be sure what my initial inputs were, but recently, my social media algorithm appears to have concluded that the best way to complete its mission and keep me hooked longer is to appeal to both "hunt" and "gather". Videos about big cats stalking the watering hole, alongside ways to improve lower-body power and running speed, have become a feature in the steady stream of someday backyard DIY project ideas. And, while I've always been a sucker for the entertainment of narrated nature [I blame you, Sir David Attenborough!] I take some solace in the fact that the clips on increasing power might provide benefit if carried over to real life.

I think it may have all started last year when the Mayo Clinic published this paper showing that power (the ability to produce force quickly) significantly outperformed strength (the ability to produce absolute force regardless of speed) in predicting longevity in middle-aged subjects - about 5x better. I found the distinction fascinating and wanted to learn more. An editorial in the same issue suggested adding measures of power to other standards - such as physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, strength, and body composition - when trying to understand and anticipate future health risk. The logic made sense to me. Since many regular daily activities, such as climbing stairs, require the rapid application of strength, having more power relative to our body weight is beneficial, especially as we age, because power tends to decline earlier than absolute strength. This 2018 study supports that idea. 

Men between 77 and 101 years old, already past average life expectancy, were asked to complete jump testing. Unsurprisingly, those who were successful - able to generate enough power to get off the ground - were much healthier than those who could not. However, and equally unsurprisingly, even in these super-agers, the drop in average relative power was substantial with age, from 59 watts per kilogram for men in their 20's, shown here, to 23 watts per kilogram. If power is this important and drops off so significantly, investing energy now to improve or maintain it could have a very high payoff later. With several studies, including this one from January, showing that only a few minutes per week can yield improvements comparable to longer sessions of moderate activity, power sessions may be the best tactic when time is of the essence. However, for those not quite ready to jump into intensity just yet or who may have more time to invest, there are, of course, other ways to span the gap. 

Another new study examining the benefit of stacking small doses of Sleep, Physical Activity, and Nutrition (SPAN) showed an equally impressive effect. After reviewing the health records of nearly 60,000 individuals over an average 8-year period, researchers found that the optimal combination - which translated to a gain of approximately 9.5 extra healthy years - was 7.2 to 8 hours of sleep, at least 42 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and a dietary score roughly in the top 1/3rd (a score of 57.5 to 72.5 out of 100) per day. However, even for those not yet achieving such high marks, very small doses of each can yield meaningful benefits in both lifespan (years lived) and healthspan (years lived disease-free). The team found that adding 5 minutes of sleep, ~2 minutes of MVPA, and five points in dietary quality (e.g., adding ½ serving of vegetables or 1.5 servings of whole grains per day) resulted in one additional year of life. Adding healthy years required a bit more: 24 additional minutes of sleep per day, 3.7 minutes of MVPA per day, and a 23-point increase in dietary quality. That combination resulted in 4 more healthy years, which, if this study, which says it boosted physical activity and brain benefits in some of the planet's longest-lived people, and this one, which showed better sleep in thousands of US adults, are accurate, a gardening habit yields more than just fresh and healthy foods. 

The best course of action almost definitely includes "all of the above". If you haven't hopped, skipped, bounded, or sprinted lately, it might be a great way to get to the garden... just not while carrying the yard tools.

Have a great weekend,

Mike E.