Heart Health

                                                          HEART HEALTH

      For every drug there is an optimal dose. Two aspirin will reduce a headache, but six pills will probably irritate the lining of your stomach without conferring faster pain relief. Exercise is not a pill you can pop, but it’s helpful to think of it as a drug that must be administered judiciously.

      In previous posts, I have argued for short, intense bouts of exercise as being far more efficient than longer duration activity. But while efficiency is important, health should always be your primary concern. And there is mounting scientific evidence that many years of high-volume endurance activity may be bad for your health.

      In 2010, the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress estimated that while moderate exercise can reduce your cardiovascular risk by a factor of three, excessive vigorous exercise might increase your risk by a factor of seven.

     One risk is myocardial fibrosis, or abnormal thickening of the heart valves. A recent study found dramatically increased incidence of fibrosis in veteran male athletes who had spent many years doing high-volume marathon training.

      Another risk is inflammation which has been linked not only to heart trouble, but to cancer and many other health issues. A study by Dr. Arthur Siegel at McLean Hospital found a strong correlation between long-distance running and inflammation.

     A Mayo Clinic study found that professional cyclists and ultramarathon runners were five times more likely to suffer from abnormal heart rhythms.

     A Missouri Medicine study identified twice as much plaque volume—clogged arteries—in male marathoners compared to a sedentary control group.

     Dr. Robert Schwartz from the Missouri study gives us the take-home message. “As with any potent drug, establishing the safe and effective dose range is critically important—an inadequately low dose many not confer full benefits, whereas an excessive dose may produce adverse effects that outweigh its benefits.”

     For guidelines on finding the proper dose, consult my post on the work of Dr. Ralph Paffenbarger.

      Please don’t scoff at the notion or exercise overdose. Twelve long-term endurance athletes I’ve known personally have suffered heart attacks. Seven died. Efficiency is an important issue. But your health is a life-or-death issue.