All-cause and disease-specific mortality among male, former elite athletes: an average 50-year follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: Elite athletes have 5-6 years additional life expectancy when compared to men who were healthy as young adults. Lower mortality for cardiovascular disease was in part due to lower rates of smoking, as tobacco-related cancer mortality was especially low.
PMID: 25183628 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Source: British Journal of Sports Medicine - September 2, 2014 Category: Sports Medicine Authors: Kettunen JA, Kujala UM, Kaprio J, Bäckmand H, Peltonen M, Eriksson JG, Sarna S Tags: Br J Sports Med Source Type: research