The benefits of exercise include the following:

  • Increased bone strength and muscle mass
  • Increased endurance
  • Better control of blood sugar and blood fat levels
  • Better cognitive function
  • Improved mood and mental health
  • Better sleep
  • Higher energy level
  • Improved sexual desire and function

Along with a balanced diet, getting enough physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, and it may help reduce the accumulation of visceral fat within the abdomen (lipodystrophy).

Physical activity also reduces the risk of comorbidities that occur at higher rates in people living with HIV, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Exercise and weight loss can help improve fatty liver disease, which can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.

This is an excerpt from the “HIV and Exercise” Basics page on POZ.com.