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Extreme exercise can strain the heart without causing permanent damage
Science Daily ^ | June 27, 2019 | Rodrigo Hohl and others

Posted on 07/05/2019 8:36:18 PM PDT by ConservativeMind

Researchers have found no evidence of elevated cardiac risk in runners who completed a 24-hour ultramarathon (24UM), despite the transient elevation of blood biomarkers that measure cardiac health. According to the study, trained runners were more likely than their novice counterparts to experience raised levels, reflecting the greater cardiac load and pituitary-adrenocortical response to extremely strenuous exercise.

"Experienced runners performed with greater intensity and speed, which placed strains on their hearts. Novice runners ran with less intensity, which resulted in lower cardiac biomarker levels," Runners with differences in training experience and competitive performances present variations in running speeds and, therefore, cardiac biomarker responses.

"The good news is that while experienced runners pushed their heart limits during the ultramarathon, they did not show evidence of cardiac risk assessed through elevated biomarkers," Prof. Hohl noted. "Novice runners appear to pace themselves well below their cardiac limit, self-selecting a safe pacing strategy for their hearts.

The study examined the relationship between self-selected exercise intensity with cardiac biomarkers comparing experienced and novice runners able to finish a 24UM. Biomarkers that measure necrosis, inflammation, cardiac function/injury, and ischemia were used to understand the impact of acute exercise on the cardiac health of runners with different training levels and performance, including cortisol, total creatine kinase, C-reactive protein, and leukocyte levels. The findings showed higher levels of cortisol in the experienced group and confirmed previous research that cortisol is a good predictor of speed during a 24UM.

"Our study provides evidence for caution and self-monitoring especially for experienced runners. After participating in an ultramarathon, runners should recover for at least two days before running any significant distance. This time is needed to normalize cardiac markers and allow the heart time to recover after such a challenge," cautioned Prof. Hohl.

(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...


TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: health; ultramarathons
I guess we won’t die or cause damage from doing ultramarathons or High Intensity Interval Training.

It just feels like we will. 🙂

Do stay hydrated, don’t overheat and if doing a marathon, give your body two days to recover, though.

1 posted on 07/05/2019 8:36:18 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
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To: ConservativeMind

And dont freak out about puking or seeing puke on the marathon course. Its a common occurrence.


2 posted on 07/05/2019 8:40:38 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; Not Averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: ConservativeMind

That study makes perfect sense to me - those cardiac blood markers are a secondary response to high heart activity.

So if you were just sitting on the couch and had those indicators it meant your heart suddenly went into overdrive for some reason and you’re gonna have a bad day.

But if you just ran a marathon - perfectly normal.

But it WILL mean that those who just ran a marathon and are having cardiac problems can’t be diagnosed from those markers.


3 posted on 07/05/2019 8:53:27 PM PDT by Skywise
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To: Skywise

That is a good point.


4 posted on 07/05/2019 8:57:19 PM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: ConservativeMind

My ultramarathon is walking around the cul de sac.


5 posted on 07/05/2019 11:14:29 PM PDT by napscoordinator (Trump/Hunter, jr for President/Vice President 2016)
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To: ConservativeMind

Jim Fixx was not available for comment.


6 posted on 07/06/2019 12:45:24 AM PDT by KevinB ("Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge." - Charles Darwin)
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To: KevinB

“Jim Fixx was not available for comment.”

The guy who smoked two packs a day and had bad genes?


7 posted on 07/06/2019 3:10:57 AM PDT by utax
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To: utax
Jim Fixx's father had his first heart attack at the age of 35 and died of another one at 43. Fixx probably bought another 10 years or more by exercising.

Moderation is key. Triathlons and marathons to me are the equivalent of running your car across country every week redlining the RPM.

8 posted on 07/06/2019 5:50:22 AM PDT by caltaxed (ake)
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To: ConservativeMind

I am in awe of people who can run a marathon.

BTW, you probably know the origin of the race-—the Greek runner Phidipides was sent by the Greek General Miltiades after the battle of Marathon to, as the story goes, tell the Athenians the good news. Traditionally it’s held that he ran 26 miles. But many scholars think ol Phid ran to EVERY Greek town along the way before he got to Athens!

No wonder his heart exploded when he arrived to yell “Rejoice! We conquer!”


9 posted on 07/06/2019 6:20:05 AM PDT by LS ("Castles made of sand, fall in the sea . . . eventually" (Hendrix))
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To: ConservativeMind

Interesting. Thanks!


10 posted on 07/06/2019 6:21:12 AM PDT by trisham (Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
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To: ConservativeMind

I’ll drive.


11 posted on 07/06/2019 6:24:36 AM PDT by bgill
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To: utax

Jim Fixx taught me to smoke cigarettes while I run. The nicotene enhances the exercise.

Other exercise enhancers I learned from the Jim Fixx fans is being a meth head, plus plenty of whiskey and vodka, drink liters of Coca Cola, and finally candy bars, plenty of candy bars make exercise efficient the Jim Fixx way.


12 posted on 07/06/2019 6:24:47 AM PDT by TheNext (Diversity: Darker Replaces Lighter)
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To: ConservativeMind

I did an ultra marathon once watching Centennial, Lonesome Dove, The Ring Trilogy and The Hobbit with no change in cardio markers. However it did take two days to get my rear in gear again.


13 posted on 07/06/2019 6:38:42 AM PDT by blue-duncan
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To: blue-duncan

It is good to hear from you again!


14 posted on 07/06/2019 7:35:29 AM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
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To: TheNext

“Jim Fixx taught me to smoke cigarettes while I run. The nicotene enhances the exercise.

Other exercise enhancers I learned from the Jim Fixx fans is being a meth head, plus plenty of whiskey and vodka, drink liters of Coca Cola, and finally candy bars, plenty of candy bars make exercise efficient the Jim Fixx way.”

Well the early Tour de France riders smoked and drank. And they still drink on the last day of the Tour. Whatever works!


15 posted on 07/06/2019 8:49:10 AM PDT by utax
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To: ConservativeMind
Next year, I will celebrate my 50th birthday by running a 50 miler.

I am not a runner, I am built like a thumb but if you can run 3 miles, you can run 50.

16 posted on 07/06/2019 9:54:55 AM PDT by NativeSon ( Grease the floor with Crisco when I dance the disco)
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To: NativeSon

” if you can run 3 miles, you can run 50”

True. It just takes 17 days to do it...


17 posted on 07/06/2019 10:09:19 AM PDT by Mr Rogers (Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools)
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To: Mr Rogers
As long as you don’t stop, it’s still running.

I’m not a runner, I don’t “go out for a run”, I don’t enjoy running.

I’m in no danger of winner a race but I’ll run it.

18 posted on 07/07/2019 4:37:54 AM PDT by NativeSon ( Grease the floor with Crisco when I dance the disco)
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