The Effect of Regular Exercıse on Women’s Overall Health

Numerous scientific studies show that regular physical activity has long been the cornerstone of health and highlight the positive effects of regular exercise on healthy living. In particular, the versatile health benefits of exercise for women have begun to attract increasing attention in recent years. Due to the positive effects of regular exercise on women’s health in different areas, including mental health, musculoskeletal integrity, cardiovascular health, and reproductive health, comprehensive studies are being conducted to evaluate the relationship between women’s health and regular exercise habits. Regular physical exercise has been shown to have numerous health benefits for women across different stages of life [1,2]. It plays a significant role in promoting mental well-being, musculoskeletal integrity, cardiovascular health, and reproductive health [3,4]. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the positive effects of exercise on women’s health.

First of all, the positive effect of exercise on mental health in women is remarkable, and numerous studies note that symptoms of depression and anxiety can be reduced with regular physical activity. In addition to exercise habits alleviating symptoms of depression, associations between regular physical activity and increased overall psychological well-being have been reported [5,6]. These findings are particularly relevant in the context of the rising prevalence of mood disorders in this population. They emphasize the potential of regular exercise habits to prevent and improve mental health problems in women [7,8].

Positive effects of physical activity on musculoskeletal health have been shown in women with regular exercise habits [9,10]. It is stated that a form of physical activity, especially high-intensity resistance training, improves bone density and muscle mass in well-trained women and may reduce the risk of diseases such as osteopenia and sarcopenia, which can be seen in older women [10,11]. And also, regular weight-bearing exercises play a crucial role in maintaining musculoskeletal integrity and preventing age-related bone loss and osteoporosis fractures, especially in the postmenopausal period when estrogen production declines significantly, leading to accelerated resorption of bone tissue compared to pre-menstrual years [10]. Resistance training programs involving progressive overload stimulate muscle hypertrophy, thereby improving strength, power, and functional capacity among women [12].

The relationship between physical exercise and reproductive health in women encompasses a wide range of physiological and metabolic events, including menstrual function, fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and menopausal transition, and research in this field has shown that high-intensity exercise may cause menstrual irregularity and reproductive health. shows that it may disrupt hormone levels [13,14]. This irregularity in terms of reproductive health also shows that it can potentially affect fertility and reproductive capacity. In contrast to high-intensity exercise, the habit of appropriate (moderate or light) levels of physical activity has also been shown to be associated with positive reproductive outcomes and reduced menopausal symptoms [15]. For this reason, in exercise planning, the intensity of exercise should be considered in terms of women’s health. In particular, its potential effects on hormonal regulation, ovarian function, and reproductive aging are known to be important. Therefore, close attention needs to be paid to the complex interaction between exercise and women’s reproductive health [16,17].

Numerous research studies in the field of women’s overall health highlight the critical role of exercise in reducing the burden of heart disease in women, thus highlighting the need for specific exercise interventions to improve cardiovascular health.

In a very large-scale study showing that regular physical activity has significant effects on reducing the risk of heart disease in women, Lear et al. [18] found that women who engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity have a lower risk of coronary heart disease compared to those with a sedentary lifestyle. This study, which included participants from many countries, underlines that regular physical activity habits have a very important role in improving heart health among women.

Additionally, Mora et al. [19] examined the potential mediating mechanisms by which physical activity may reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems and presented the results of this study. In this research, exercise helps reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Its role in improving overall heart function is also emphasized. When all these research results are evaluated together, it becomes clear that regular exercise habits may contribute to reducing the risk of heart disease in women.

In another study on the positive impact of physical activity on women’s overall health, Schuch et al. [5] conducted a meta-analysis that revealed the positive effects of regular exercise habits on reducing depression symptoms and treating depression in women suffering from depression. Considering that depression can also cause heart disease and the well-established connection between depression and heart disease, the results of these studies indirectly support the role of exercise in reducing cardiovascular healthrelated risk factors in women.

Considering the results obtained from these studies, it has been shown that regular exercise has many positive physiological, psychological, and mental effects on women’s health in different areas. From mental health to musculoskeletal integrity, from cardiovascular health to reproductive health, regular physical activity is of great importance for improving women’s quality of life and general well-being, and exercise habits should be encouraged for the sake of public health [2,20].

In summary, due to the versatile positive effects of exercise on women’s health, the metabolic, physiological and psychological contributions of regular exercise habits; It should be examined to include mental and spiritual health, musculoskeletal system integrity, cardiovascular health and reproductive health. In improving women’s health, understanding the various metabolic benefits of exercise during the healthy aging process is of great importance for the development of targeted interventions and public health strategies aimed at improving women’s lifelong wellbeing.

As a result, in many studies, scientific evidence about the complex interaction between physical exercise and women’s health clearly presents the contributing relationship between exercise and women’s health. Examining the multifaceted effects of exercise on cardiovascular health, reproductive health, mental health, and musculoskeletal integrity, these research studies highlight the various physiological, psychological, and social mechanisms through which physical activity affects women’s health. In addition, by discussing new implications for public health policies and future research projects on women’s overall health, the importance of encouraging the habit of physical activity, which is envisaged as the cornerstone of improving women’s health and preventing diseases, will be emphasized more clearly.

We would like to express our special thanks of gratitude to Nikitas NOMIKOS for his very successful contribution to the literature research process and unique academic support in the publication during the process of this review article.

The author certifies that there is no conflict of interest with any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript.

The author certifies that there is no funding from any financial organization regarding the material discussed in the manuscript.

All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.

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