Is higher stamina linked to living longer?
In a large study of patients who took a treadmill test, people in the highest stamina group had much lower long-term mortality than people in the lowest group. The study followed people over time, but it was not a trial, so it shows a strong link, not proof of cause.
What was studied
Mandsager et al. looked back at records of 122,007 patients who took an exercise treadmill test at one clinic between 1991 and 2014. Patients were grouped by their test performance, from low to elite, and followed for survival. Results were adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, medications and other conditions.
What was found
- Higher stamina went with lower all-cause mortality, with no upper limit on the benefit in the data.
- People in the elite group had about 80% lower mortality risk than people in the low group.
- The gap between the elite and high groups was largest among patients over 70 and among patients with high blood pressure.
What it does not show
The patients were people referred for a treadmill test, so they are not a typical working population. The study followed people rather than testing them, so it cannot show that raising stamina lowers mortality, or that people who could raise it would see the same gap. The study looked at survival, not at performance at work.
What it means for the working week
Stamina is one of several things people bring to a working day. This study is evidence about long-term outcomes, not about output or concentration.
Citation
- Mandsager K, Harb S, Cremer P, Phelan D, Nissen SE, Jaber W. Association of cardiorespiratory fitness with long-term mortality among adults undergoing exercise treadmill testing. JAMA Network Open, 2018;1(6):e183605. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.3605
Cite this page: thrive at work research team. (2026). Is higher stamina linked to living longer? Human Performance Research. https://humanperformanceresearch.com/evidence/stamina-and-long-term-survival/
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