New research suggests that playing soccer has many health benefits, including lowering blood pressure and improving overall cardiovascular health.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen conducted controlled, randomized studies to compare individuals who played soccer with those who did other forms of exercise and an inactive control group. They found that inactive men with high blood pressure who participated in three months of soccer practice were able to lower their blood pressure as well as improve other cardiovascular risk factors such as maximal oxygen uptake, heart function, elasticity of the vascular system, cholesterol and fat mass.

In addition, they found that playing soccer was more beneficial than strength training, running or advice to make lifestyle changes like improving the diet and increasing exercise.

"Our research shows that soccer is a versatile and intense form of exercise that provides a positive effect on cardiovascular risk factors in a large group of untrained adult men and women," said research leader Peter Krustrup. "Based on the results, soccer can be recommended as part of the treatment for high blood pressure and as broad-spectrum prevention of cardiovascular diseases."

Researchers say they plan to follow up this study with experiments on the effects of soccer on other diseases such as diabetes and cancer.