HOW EXERCISE AFFECT YOUR HEALTH

Exercise is good for you, but when its too much, it can push past healthy limits.

Those who exercised at very high intensity over long periods of time have higher rates of heart problems than people who exercise more moderately. 

Chronic extreme exercise training and competing in endurance events can lead to heart damage and rhythm disorders. People with genetic risk factors are especially vulnerable. 

Overdoing high intensity exercise may actually increase the risk of death from a heart attack or stroke in those with existing heart disease.

Young men undertaking endurance exercise for more than four hours a week may increase their risk of developing an irregular heart rhythm in later life and are more likely to develope the condition by the age of 60 than those exercising for less than one hour a week. 

Young men who run marathons are more likely to need pacemakers in old age.

How does too much exercise affect the heart

Extreme exercise puts equally extreme demands on the cardiovascular system which leads to stressing of the heart muscle and the skeletal muscles, and that chronic damage can lead to heart troubles. 

After finishing extreme exercising events, blood samples will contain biomarkers which is associated with heart damage. 

These ‘damage indicators’ usually go away by themselves, but when the heart endures extreme physical stress over and over, the “temporary” damage may lead to so called “remodeling” of the heart or physical changes such as thicker heart walls and scarring of the heart. 

This can also increase the risk of heart rhythm disorders, particularly for the minority who have underlying cardiac problems such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or coronary heart disease.

What this means for you

Exercise and even strenuous exercise is clearly associated with enormous heart health benefits in the vast majority of people when compared to people who do not exercise but, in a very small minority who have underlying problems, exercise can trigger arrhythmia. 

While there is emerging evidence that prolonged strenuous exercise can increase risk of atrial fibrillation, the long-term risk of this is small compared to inactivity.

All in all, despite the concern about extreme exercise, there is not much reason for the average person to worry. Exercising is far better than being inactive.

Exercise guidelines

Experts agree that whether you are a sports enthusiast, a beginner, a senior or someone beginning cardiac rehab, physical activity is good for you. 

For the general public, The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week.

Moderate exercise includes activities such as walking, jogging or swimming. In general, moderate activities should leave you free to carry on a conversation while you are active. 

If you have symptoms, a history of a heart condition or risk factors for heart disease, check with your doctor before starting or changing an exercise regimen.

For those who are athletes and have new symptoms or a diagnosis of heart disease, or those who may be concerned about continuing competition or endurance sports, you should be evaluated by a sports cardiologist.

Effect of excess exercise on ladies

Sports and exercise are healthy activities for girls and women of all ages. Occasionally, a female who focuses on being thin or lightweight may eat too little or exercise too much. Doing this can cause long-term damage to health, or even death.

Three interrelated illnesses may develop when a girl or young woman goes to extremes in dieting or exercise. Together, these conditions are known as the "female triad."

The three conditions are:

Disordered eating

Abnormal eating habits (i.e., crash diets, binge eating) or excessive exercise keeps the body from getting enough nutrition.

Menstrual dysfunction

Poor nutrition, low calorie intake, high-energy demands, physical and emotional stress, or low percentage of body fat can lead to hormonal changes that stop menstrual periods (amenorrhea).

Premature osteoporosis (low bone density for age)

Lack of periods disrupts the body's bone-building processes and weakens the skeleton, making bones more likely to break.

Note

That doesn’t mean you should put away the walking shoes, though. Moderate exercise is still the best prescription for good physical and mental health.