Practically everyone has heard the old saying that dogs are a man’s best friend. Well, it turns out that saying may be truer than most people realize, after research showed that owning a dog may be good for cardiovascular health. People who owned pets were more likely to report having a better diet, engaging in more physical activity, and maintaining their blood sugar at an ideal level compared to people without pets. Pet owners with dogs showed the greatest health benefits, although other types of pets were beneficial for cardiovascular health as well.
Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester noted that having a dog may encourage owners to engage in more frequent physical activity and has previously been linked to better mental health and less perception of social isolation, both of which are risk factors for heart attacks.
The American Heart Association has also noted that engaging with dogs can help increase production of hormones associated with happiness, such as oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine, while reducing production of stress hormone cortisol.
