Extreme sports ‘may be bad for your heart’

A REGULAR brisk walk or jog is better for your health than going for a long run, scientists have said.

Daily exercise helps prevent many common chronic diseases, and boosts heart health. However, recent research suggests marathons, iron-man distance triathlons and long-distance bicycle races may cause structural changes to the heart and large arteries, leading to heart attacks.

A review of previous research has revealed for the first time the mechanisms, physiology and clinical manifestations of heart disease from excessive endurance exercise.

Dr James O’Keefe, from St Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City in the US, said: “Physical exercise, though not a drug, possesses many traits of a powerful pharmacological agent.

“A routine of daily physical activity can be highly effective for prevention and treatment of many diseases, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart failure and obesity. However, as with any pharmacological agent, a safe upper-dose limit potentially exists, beyond which the adverse effects of physical exercise, such as musculoskeletal trauma and cardiovascular stress, may outweigh its benefits.”

The researchers said extreme endurance training could cause structural cardiovascular changes and elevations of cardiac bio-markers, all of which return to normal within a week.

For some individuals, over months and years of repetitive injury, this process can lead to the development of heart disease, causing an irregular beat.