Lycra looks: Research has found that cycling can often have antiageing effects. Studies reported in journal Aging Cell found people who cycle generate high levels of immune boosting T-cells. It could even boost your skin, according to Stanford University in California. Researchers found the increased circulation during cycling delivers more oxygen and nutrients to cells and flushes out toxins.
Get racy: You could also get a boost in the bedroom. Researchers at Harvard University linked men who cycle at least three hours a week with a 30% lower risk of impotence than those who rarely exercise.
Another study from the University of California found that women who cycled more had better sex lives. And if you’re hoping for a baby, a University College London study found no evidence to back up the myth that cycling harms fertility and sperm production, while US researchers found no effect on men’s urinary function.
Read: The Importance of Being Physically Active: Strengthening Your Body and Mind
Easy rider: A University of North Carolina study showed that people who cycle 30 minutes for five days a week take half as many sick days as those who don’t, a finding backed up by a survey for National Cycle Network charity Sustrans. Scientists at King’s College, London also found the effects of air pollution were less bad for cyclists compared with drivers, bus users and walkers. Cycling is linked with lowering blood pressure, reducing bad cholesterol and type 2 diabetes and could add five years to your life.
Read: 5 Health Warnings You Should Never Ignore
Get pumped: Cyclists are typically 40% less stressed than commuters who use the car or train, according to the results of a study by Stanford Calming Technology Lab. A survey for insurer Cycleplan found 75% of people who took up cycling had improved mental health, and a 2004 study from Poland found that rhythmic aerobic exercises like cycling were best for easing symptoms of depression.
Top gear: A study carried out in 2013 found that during cycling, people get a 28% increase in blood flow to their brain.
Researchers from the University of Illinois found that people who improved their cardio-respiratory fitness by just five per cent through cycling did 15% better in mental tests, while research published in the journal PLOS One linked cycling to an increase in ability to plan, organise and complete tasks.
Read: Exercise, Bike Riding and Prostate Health
Pedal power: A US study found that cyclists can boast a fitness level equal to that of a person who is typically 10 years younger. Because bike riding is a low impact activity, it causes less muscle damage, soreness and inflammation than running, according to experts at Appalachian State University in North Carolina. A study published in the Journal of Rheumatology also found that it could help reduce joint pain.
Tyre tonic: Pedalling may help improve the quality of your sleep, according to researchers at Clemson University, South Carolina.
Read: Whatever the exercise, I’d advise Expressing/nursing beforehand
Other American scientists found that insomnia sufferers who cycled for just 20 to 30 minutes every other day reduced the time it took to fall asleep and increased the amount of kip they got by nearly an hour.
Spoke spike: A study in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology found that cycling can help increase good bacteria in your body.
A 2021 study found that a nine-week high-intensity indoor cycling training programme improved gut microbiome, boosting digestion and overall health.
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