Scientists discovered that gym equipment contains more bacteria than your toilet seat. The researchers collected samples from 27 gym machines and found more than a million germs per square inch on each piece of equipment.

Ever wondered if going to the gym can make you sick? Probably not. Right? But a recent study could prove you wrong. A team of scientists at FitRated have discovered that gym equipment contains more bacteria than your toilet seat. For their study, the researchers collected samples from 27 gym machines and found more than a million germs per square inch on each piece of equipment.

Machines Had More Bacteria Than Toilet Seat

Researchers found that free weights contain 362 times more germs than a toilet seat. Exercise bikes and treadmills are also ranked alarmingly high, carrying 39 and 74 times more bacteria than cafeteria trays and public sinks, respectively. Several machines were found to be laden with harmful bacteria. This included gram-positive cocci, which is responsible for skin infections and gram-negative bacteria that can cause diseases such as Pneumonia, gastroenteritis, and urinary tract infections (UTI) amongst others.

The study highlights that bacteria thrive on gym equipment due to its frequent use by multiple people. While gyms provide disinfectant wipes, towels etc to their users, for their hygiene, what they often snub is to clean the equipment.

A study regarding the same, titled Athletic equipment microbiota are shaped by interactions with human skin, was published in Microbiome in 2015. It stated that bacteria that colonize these indoor ecosystems are primarily derived from the human microbiome. The modes of human interaction with indoor surfaces and the physical conditions associated with each surface type determine the steady-state ecology of the microbial community. "Surface and equipment type had a stronger influence on bacterial community composition than the facility in which they were housed," the researcher said.

You Can Follow These Steps To Maintain Good Gym Hygiene

Try to always wear clean, washed clothes to the gym. Every time you exercise, your clothes accumulate sweat and other bacteria that can cause a foul smell and can also lead to infections.

Additionally, you can ask the gym staff to sanitize and clean the equipment frequently.

If you see a sitting bench wet from a chemical cleaning solution, allow it to dry before you decide to use it.

After completing your exercise, take a wipe or solution sprayed on a napkin and wipe where your skin made contact with the equipment or where sweat dripped. Avoid directly spraying chemical solutions onto equipment, as excess moisture can cause damage.

If you choose to shower after a workout, make sure that your wet feet do not directly come in contact with the floor of the gym. Wear flip-flops or any other footwear. Gym floors generally serve as a breeding ground for mould, fungi and bacteria that can infect your feet.

Walking is said to be one of the best exercises. Not only is it an easy and accessible exercise, but it can be done anywhere and also does not need a lot of equipment. Many people aim for 10,000 steps a day as a sign of good health. But should you take one long walk, or multiple short ones? A new study has answered this question.

New research suggests that a single, longer walk each day is better for your heart than breaking up your steps into many short strolls, especially if you don't exercise regularly.

The study, published in Annals of Internal Medicine, found that walking for at least 15 minutes without stopping is ideal. This longer, steady pace, which is about 1,500 continuous steps gives your heart a much better workout.

Longer Vs Shorter Walks: Which is Better?

Researchers tracked the walking habits of over 33,500 adults in the UK who walked less than 8,000 steps a day. After tracking their health for eight years, the findings were clear:

Lower Heart Risk

People who consistently walked in longer, uninterrupted stretches had a lower risk of heart problems compared to those who only took short, quick bursts of steps.

Why Are Longer Walks Better For Health?

Even among the least active group (those walking under 5,000 steps daily), taking longer walks made a major difference. Their risk of heart disease and early death dropped significantly.

The researchers explain that most people focus only on the number of steps they take, but not the patterns. They suggests that even inactive people can boost heart health by changing their habits to walk for at least 10–15 minutes at a time.

Should People Focus More On How They Walk Or How Much?

Many people aim for 10,000 steps a day, but that number actually came from an old pedometer advertisement, not science. While experts agree more steps are generally good, this study emphasizes that how you walk matters more than just the total step count.

The researchers suggest that simple changes, like setting aside time specifically for a long walk, could make a big impact on heart health.

The NHS still recommends getting 150 minutes of moderate activity like brisk walking, each week, and ideally it should be spread out. For older adults, moving every day, even with light activity around the house, is key.

It's important to know that while the study shows a strong link between longer walks and better health, it doesn't definitively prove that walking directly causes the improvement.

However, health experts agree exercise is vital. They explain that you might find it hard at first, but it will get easier as your body adjusts. Even small improvements contribute to a healthy heart.

What Are Some Safety Tips for Walkers?

While walking is generally a safe activity, accidents can happen, especially if you like to walk alone. To stay safe while walking,

Be Visible

Wear bright, reflective clothing or carry a flashlight after dark or in dim light so drivers and others can easily spot you.

Stay Alert

Focus on your immediate surroundings; avoid distractions like your phone or headphones to always know what's happening around you, especially traffic.

Use Paths

Walk or bike only on marked paths, lanes, or sidewalks, and cross streets at designated crosswalks where vehicles are expecting pedestrians.

Dr Peter Attia, physician, and researcher known for his work in longevity medicine believes that there is a correlation between your grip strength and dementia onset risk and dementia mortality.

Dr Attia says, "My best explanation for this is that grip strength is itself a proxy for overall strength. The type of strength we are talking about here is acquired, not inherited. You had to do a bunch of work to get it, and it is the work you did that is actually what's protect your brain."

He says that women who are over 40, must be able to hand on a bar for a minute and a half, and for men, it is two minutes. The key is that you are supposed to be able to carry 75% of your weight, he says, in an interview with CBS News' 60 minutes.

Is There Any Truth In The Claim That Grip Strength Has A Correlation With Dementia?

As per a 2021 study published in journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, titled Grip Strength and the Risk of Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Cohort Studies, loss of grip strength and cognitive impairment are prevalent in the elderly, and they may share the pathogenesis in common.

The study found that poorer grip strength was in fact associated with more risk of cognitive decline and dementia. The subgroup analysis within the study also indicated that people with poorer strength had more risk of Alzheimer's disease and non-AD dementia.

But why does this happen? Lower grip strength is a marker for overall muscle mass, general health, and is linked to the health of the brain and its blood vessels. This link is also connected to other factors like vascular health, cognitive decline, and physical activity, as low grip strength can be a symptom of poor overall physical and metabolic health.

How Is Lower Grip Strength Is Linked To Dementia?

Indicator Of Overall Health: Grip strength reflects the health of entire body, this is why a lower grip strength is an indicate of lower muscle mass, and general poor health.

Vascular and brain health: Since there is a connection between muscle strength, blood flow, and brain health, thus lower grip strength is associated with a higher risk of vascular dementia and a greater volume of white matter hyperintensities in the brain.

Also Read: What Home Gym Tools Can Help You Stay Fit Without Hitting The Gym?

Poorer grip strength is associated with lower cognitive function, such as fluid intelligence and prospective memory. This suggest a link between the body's physical capabilities and the brain's cognitive abilities.

A different study published in 2022, where 40,000 participants from the UK Biobank were studied found that greater grip strength was associated with better cognitive functioning, higher life satisfaction, greater subjective well-being, and reduced depression and anxiety symptoms while controlling for numerous demographic, anthropometric, and socioeconomic cofounders.

The study also found that grey matter volume of subcortical region also correlated with better mental health and considerably mediated their relationship with grip strength.

A new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that you should choose one long walk over a few short strolls to keep your heart healthy. This is especially if you do not exercise much.

Walking for at least 15 minutes without a stop is ideal, notes the study. This means you walk for 1,500 steps in a row. This is said to give your heart a good workout. The study also notes that many people who walk 10,000 steps a day, actually follow the number that came from a Japanese pedometer advertisement, and not necessarily science, also reported by BBC. However, experts do agree that more steps are generally better for your health.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The study analyzed 33,560 adults who were aged 40 to 79 in the UK. They walked fewer than 8,000 steps a day. These people were grouped by how long their walks were and was measured with a step-counter over a week:

• Less than 5 minutes (43%)
• 5 to 10 minutes (33.5%)
• 10 to 15 minutes (15.5%)
• 15 minutes or more (8%)

The data was collected after tracking the participants for eight years. This was done by the researchers from the University of Sydney and the Universidad Europea in Spain.

What Did The Study Find?

The study found that people who walked in longer stretches had a lower risk of heart problems than those who take short strolls. Even those who are the least active, for instance, those who walk under 5,000 steps a day, longer walks make a big difference for them. The study noted that for them too, the risk of heart disease and death drop significantly.

However, the study cannot guarantee that this change is because they were already fitter to begin with. However, the researchers did study this factor including whether the person smoked, was obese or had high cholesterol.

How You Walk Matters More Than How Much You Walk

The researchers also noted that the way you walk could actually matter more than how much you walk. The answer is walk for a longer time, even if you do not walk that much overall. You could implement simple changes, including setting some time aside for a longer walk.

The Co-lead research Prom Emmanuel Stamatakis said, "We tend to place all the emphasis on the number of steps or the total amount of walking but neglect the crucial role of patterns, for example 'how' walking is done. This study shows that even people who are very physically inactive can maximise their heart health benefit by tweaking their walking patterns to walk for longer at a time, ideally for at least 10-15 minutes, when possible."

The National Health Service, UK, also recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. This could be brisk walking, which could be spread out across the week. Older adults, especially those who are over 65, are recommended to try to move a little more every day, even if it is to do some household activities.

A senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, Emily McGrath told BBS, "Exercise helps everyone live a happier and healthier life. If you have heart and circulatory disease, it can help you manage your condition and make you feel better overall. You may find it hard to be more active at first, but as time goes on it'll get easier as your body gets used to the activity. You may only notice small improvements at first, but it all adds up and counts towards keeping your heart healthy."