A firm handgrip isn’t just good for a confident handshake when conducting business. It could also be an indicator of how healthy your heart is. That’s the latest finding from researchers involved in the international Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study.
The study, which is published in The Lancet, analyzed the grip strength of almost 140,000 adults from 17 countries and followed their health throughout a four-year period. Using a device called a dynamometer, researchers periodically measured grip for the study’s participants.
For every 11-pound decrease in grip strength, researchers found a 17 percent increased risk of dying from heart disease. The risk of stroke also increased by 9 percent while the risk of heart attack increased by 7 percent. Even when researchers adjusted for age, smoking, exercise, and other risk factors, they found a strong connection between weak grip and death or cardiovascular disease.
According to researchers, grip strength proved more effective than blood pressure at predicting death and heart disease. While previous studies have linked grip strength to cardiovascular disease and even death, this is the largest study to make the connection.
Another interesting finding of the study is that grip strength may be a good indicator of biological age, which gauges whether the body functions better or worse than expected at one's actual age.
Although researchers found that a weak grip strength was not linked to developing type 2 diabetes, cancer or other chronic illnesses, it was linked to dying in general from any disease. Researchers deduce that a weak grip indicates weak muscle strength, which they suggest increases the likelihood that an individual will die sooner or develop a chronic disease.
To increase overall health and strength, researchers recommend muscle strengthening exercises at least two to three times weekly. They also recommend a diet of lean protein and a healthy sleep routine to give muscles time to build and repair.
To learn more, read the entire article.
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