The criticisms of running range from the specious to the snobbish: it erodes hard-earned muscle; steady-state cardio doesn’t burn fat; running is what newbies and sweat-panted old people do; and so on.
New research published in the European Journal of Endocrinology, however, could help change these perceptions.
While you might think 30 minutes on the treadmill is not enough to warrant a hydration bottle, it turns out that drinking half a litre of water over half an hour’s running increases your production of growth hormone by 48 per cent compared with a non-hydrated run.
Growth hormone is, of course, a key factor in building muscle, but it’s also a potent fat-burner, meaning a leisurely, albeit well lubricated, stint on the treadmill will ramp up your weight-loss potential.
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