One thing that happens to people who compete in iron man is that their hearts get a lot bigger. when they get old and can’t compete anymore—their hearts start to contract and wrinkle like a prune. they get bad cases of atrial fibrillation.
this restriction strategy which jacks up blood pressure —looks like it will do the same thing over time with less effort.
—”One thing that happens to people who compete in iron man is that their hearts get a lot bigger. “
There are enlarged hearts and athlete’s heart, they are not the same. But possible to have both.
I have a friend that is a near-elite ultra runner, completed the UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) a few times, and many US ultras. I hear a lot about the sport.
A long and interesting article on the topic:
Cycling to extremes: Heart health and endurance sports
https://www.velonews.com/cycling-to-extremes-heart-health-and-endurance-sports/
Still, there is no arguing that physical activity is an effective, efficient, and virtually incomparable way to care for your heart, fight cardiovascular disease, and prolong your life. For every journal article that says endurance athletics is hurting their heart, there is one that says the opposite. Or maybe two.