General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart Rss Feed  
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2014-03-28 1:07 PM

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Subject: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart


2014-03-28 1:28 PM
in reply to: La Tortuga

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Elite
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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart

I guess I'm glad I don't run >8mph very often.

2014-03-28 1:39 PM
in reply to: axteraa

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
I read the introduction and recommendations, and the information seems pretty well-rationed. Looking forward to reading the rest of it on my flight home later. Essentially, don't go 100% all the time, intervals are awesome, and allow adequate rest. Stuff we say all the time.
2014-03-28 1:58 PM
in reply to: La Tortuga

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Champion
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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
I know this sounds snarky, but serious here... what is there that isn't bad for you?
2014-03-28 2:13 PM
in reply to: Leegoocrap

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
Originally posted by Leegoocrap

I know this sounds snarky, but serious here... what is there that isn't bad for you?


If this was in COJ I might throw something out there.....
2014-03-28 2:49 PM
in reply to: Leegoocrap

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
Originally posted by Leegoocrap

I know this sounds snarky, but serious here... what is there that isn't bad for you?


Sounds like we will die from exercise or die if we sit on the sofa and get fat?

Oh yea that's right death is the only guarantee in life! As long as it's guaranteed I might as well go out the way I want too!


2014-03-28 3:03 PM
in reply to: La Tortuga

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart

sticking fingers in my ear and yelling "blah blah blah"

and from their "Mortality vs Running Speed" apparently walking is bad for you too ? (1-5 mph)
2014-03-28 3:07 PM
in reply to: metafizx

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
Originally posted by metafizx


sticking fingers in my ear and yelling "blah blah blah"

and from their "Mortality vs Running Speed" apparently walking is bad for you too ? (1-5 mph)


1-5mph probably includes plenty of sedentary "I walk at the mall between stores" folks. Would be interesting to see the raw data and place into different pace intervals - devil is always in the details. The story it tells is that going too slow is bad (not enough), and going too fast is bad (too much), and the "benefit" is had with moderate frequency/intensity.
2014-03-28 3:09 PM
in reply to: La Tortuga


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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
Well then, I guess I should quit all this sbr and start smoking, drinking, and chasing women again.
2014-03-28 3:39 PM
in reply to: skibummer

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
Originally posted by skibummer

Well then, I guess I should quit all this sbr and start smoking, drinking, and chasing women again.


Then you're back in the 1-5MPH group that dies as much as the crazies.
2014-03-28 5:24 PM
in reply to: VGT

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
There are a ton of factors that aren't controlled for...


2014-03-28 5:57 PM
in reply to: 0

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
endurance athletes are bad for cardiologist and heart surgeon job security

Edited by strykergt 2014-03-28 5:57 PM
2014-03-28 8:04 PM
in reply to: La Tortuga

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
We'll go when we go.
We could all get run over by a bus on a ride tomorrow, so enjoy what you do (Yep, that sounds pessimistic).
2014-03-29 12:20 AM
in reply to: La Tortuga

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
I only skimmed it but I don't see anything controversial in this article. They show the benefits of vigorous exercise peak at under an hour a day. The benefits of moderate exercise don't show the same peak, but continue even after 2 hours a day. That is completely in line with all the training recommendations given here at BT. Extended vigorous activity is bad for you. Nobody here says go hard for your full workout every day. The articles does not show how much vigorous exercise is worse than sitting on the couch, but there has to be a point where you would have been better off doing nothing. Ref. WWII labor camps.

The overall fatality rate for USAT-sanctioned events is approximately 1 per 75,000 participants. For comparison, the risk of SCA at long-distance running events is approximately 1 per 100,000 participants in marathons and 1 per 300,000 participants in half marathons.


http://www.endurancecorner.com/Larry_Creswell/triathlon_death
2014-03-29 9:08 AM
in reply to: pnwdan

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
I haven't done Ironman distance, and probably won't, but this 57 year old heart surgery veteran has an experienced opinion on the subject. I was born with a minor heart murmur (like one fourth of the population). Didn't know until I retired from the Coast Guard at age 50. I was training for a half-ironman (which I did that year). Physical suggested an echocardiogram to baseline the mitral valve issue. Noted regurgitation; something to watch. Two-three years later, I had a few spells of atrial fibrillation following exercise, and also noted more fatigue after a long bike or run. Followed up with another echo: regurgitation getting worse. Fast forward another year later, and in training for a marathon, when afib became persistent and continuous. Cardiologist felt that the afib was related to mitral valve regurg. I was scheduled for surgery, which repaired the mitral valve and did a maze procedure for afib (in case the two were unrelated). I came out of surgery in sinus rhythm, which was strong indicated that (in my case), the afib was caused by mitral valve leakage.

Question: did my tri training hasten onset of mitral valve problem? Interestingly, the correlation for heart murmurs "going bad" is age 45-55 - WHETHER OR NOT someone is in exercise or a couch potato. Many folks my age and out of shape would not "know" their heart well enough to realize that they were having heart issues until they had done some physical damage to the heart. They then are susceptible to dropping dead from a stroke, or too much snow shoveling, or an exciting night in the sack. IT IS MY OPINION (cause I obviously can't prove it, and there are not any definitive studies on this subject - despite the article noted) that IN MY CASE, it was the training and fitness that allowed me to know that something was going wrong - and enabled me to get surgery to repair it before I damaged my heart.

My mitral valve repair was three years ago, and I have been fine since. I've done sprint/Olympic triathlons, half marathons, long bike rides, etc. I probably average 7-10 hours a week. I think I could do a half iron again - and may. I am on no medication. I am not a podium finisher, but can usually make the top half (barely). My teenage kids make fun of my spandex and speedos, but I think the triathlon lifestyle saved my life.

On a slightly related note, it is interesting how little we really know for sure about the details of our bodies - despite all the advances of modern science and medicine. And they especially can't explain the "freaks of nature" like Dean Karnazares and others in the ultra marathon community.
2014-03-29 9:28 AM
in reply to: La Tortuga

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart

Moderation in all things.  I think the article is well-balanced and helps to address the question of how much exercise is enough or, even better, how much exercise is optimum.  I have a slightly enlarged heart and some EKG anomalies.  I would not discount a medical opinion that suggests it was largely caused by exercise.  After running for 35 years, I am not surprised that there are some negative effects as well as the positives.  People with hip and knee problems can probably trace their injuries to some athletic activity as the proximate cause.  Let's use the information like this and do the best we can for our health.  

 

TW



2014-03-29 11:15 AM
in reply to: tech_geezer

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
55 years old and have lower blood pressure than my 19 yo daughter. I think I'm good.
2014-03-29 11:43 AM
in reply to: Oysterboy

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
Originally posted by Oysterboy

55 years old and have lower blood pressure than my 19 yo daughter. I think I'm good.

+1

Since taking up the sport at age 56 two years ago I have lost 60# and my BP is 100/60. Yeah this is definitely an impediment to good health.
2014-03-29 1:06 PM
in reply to: Stuartap

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
Originally posted by Stuartap

Originally posted by Oysterboy

55 years old and have lower blood pressure than my 19 yo daughter. I think I'm good.

+1

Since taking up the sport at age 56 two years ago I have lost 60# and my BP is 100/60. Yeah this is definitely an impediment to good health.



Neither of you are likely the population being described. The data is loose at best, but it's pseudo-scientific speak for "Nothing is bad, Extreme is bad, do it in moderation". AKA, Common Sense, which is why it's in some nonsense journal rather than NEJM.
2014-03-29 3:18 PM
in reply to: La Tortuga

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart

I'm a trauma nurse, and one of our attending surgeons told me (after hearing about my training) that I should just sit on my couch and eat bacon. Not a bad way to spend my time, mind you, but I refuse to live by remote statistics.

When you're time is up, it's up. I survived two combat tours with the Army including a roadside bomb detonating next to my vehicle. I'm sure that what is going to take me out is something sports related at this point.
2014-03-29 10:31 PM
in reply to: kristaae

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
I would far rather die during an Ironman or an ultra than toothless and wearing a diaper.


2014-03-30 7:52 AM
in reply to: LittleCat

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2014-03-30 9:47 PM
in reply to: kristaae

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
Originally posted by kristaae


I'm a trauma nurse, and one of our attending surgeons told me (after hearing about my training) that I should just sit on my couch and eat bacon. Not a bad way to spend my time, mind you, but I refuse to live by remote statistics.

When you're time is up, it's up. I survived two combat tours with the Army including a roadside bomb detonating next to my vehicle. I'm sure that what is going to take me out is something sports related at this point.



I am a trauma nurse as well (did ER for 6 yrs, work trauma ICU now for the last 2) and had a co-worker tell me once that the reason he didn't run was because he worked a trauma one night where a runner got hit by a truck and killed. "That running is dangerous." Yea, so is the fact that you are morbidly obese!

I skimmed the article. Not too concerned. I would rather risk a little negative effect from endurance and tri training than I would the guaranteed negative effect from fast food/smoking/pick your poison.
2014-03-31 6:19 AM
in reply to: La Tortuga

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Subject: RE: Ironman and other endurance sports are bad for your heart
Well, I read the entire article and, other than Figure 2, which seems a bit wonky, I thought it was pretty well balanced. I am not a cardiologist but it does make sense. As a runner over 45 to 50 (actually 60), which is one of the main focuses of their research and recommendations, I will take it to heart (pun intended). I am training for a marathon, which will probably be my last (unless I (BQ), and will likely never complete an Ironman, although have recently done a HIM, so hopefully I am not a statistic at the end of the Marathon or anytime soon. I am willing to take the chance though.
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