Men may have to work up more of a sweat than originally thought to reap the benefits of their exercise routine. A new study has found that regular moderate-to-heavy exercise can help men reduce their risk of having a stroke.

The study published in the journal Neurology followed nearly 3,300 people with an average age of 69 living in Manhattan over a nine-year period.

Researchers found that the men who participated in moderate-to-heavy intensity activities like jogging, tennis or swimming were 63 percent less likely to have a stroke than people with no physical activity.

Women, on the other hand, did not see the same stroke-preventive benefits from exercise.

"Taking part in moderate-to-heavy intensity physical activity may be an important factor in preventing stroke," said study author Dr Joshua Willey.

The findings are contrary to some previous studies that found that even light intensity physical activity reduced the risk of stroke. Willey said the number of participants may not have been large enough to detect subtle differences in the group that took part in only light physical activity.

Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third-leading cause of death in the United States.

Among the best ways to prevent strokes are controlling hypertension, avoiding smoking, eating a healthy, low-fat diet and exercising, according to the National Stroke Association.