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Vets racing bad for your heart?


tombeej

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Posted

I appreciate that one can be cavalier about this (and it is likely to be just fancy fear mongering) but a cardiac invalid is an ugly sight.

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Posted

I appreciate that one can be cavalier about this (and it is likely to be just fancy fear mongering) but a cardiac invalid is an ugly sight.

 

What worries me is that if one was to take every piece of advice, that changes every so often anyway, to heart (see what I did there) would that be good for you? Keeping in mind with how information is so prevalent in our daily lives and not only available in medical journals and specialist magazines.

 

When I look back and see how things have changed in my lifetime, and I'm not a young man, I don't know how the generations before me survived at all .....

Posted

What worries me is that if one was to take every piece of advice, that changes every so often anyway, to heart (see what I did there) would that be good for you? Keeping in mind with how information is so prevalent in our daily lives and not only available in medical journals and specialist magazines.

 

When I look back and see how things have changed in my lifetime, and I'm not a young man, I don't know how the generations before me survived at all .....

If you add up every % chance of dying from every study on everything we eat and do, we should all have exploded by now :)

 

It's the same maths that Spez uses to say you will be 10mins faster in a TT if you buy all their stuff.....

Posted

Talus, since you're a medical professional yourself, you'll find this medical study a worthwhile read.

 

Potential Adverse Cardiovascular Effects From Excessive Endurance Exercise

 

The study shows that 'excessive' endurance exercise "may lead to patchy myocardial fibrosis, particularly in the atria, interventricular septum, and right ventricle, creating a substrate for atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Additionally, long-term excessive sustained exercise may be associated with coronary artery calcification, diastolic dysfunction, and large-artery wall stiffening."

 

However, it goes on to say that "this concept is still hypothetical and there is some inconsistency in the reported findings. Furthermore, lifelong vigorous exercisers generally have low mortality rates and excellent functional capacity."

 

But, the study also points to the notion that when it comes to exercise, there can be too much of a good thing, i.e. that there are massive benefits to be gained from moderate regular exercising, but when you take it too far, the benefits come to a stop and then start reversing ("The 30-minute exercise sessions produced less oxidant stress and improved arterial elasticity, whereas 60-minute sessions worsened oxidant stress and increased vascular stiffness as measured by pulse wave velocity, mainly in older patients").

 

Just as with everything in life, it's about living life in balance. Anything taken to extreme has consequences of some sort or another. Makes perfect sense that exercising to extreme has the same negative consequences for us.

 

For me personally, I'm listening to what these medical specialists are trying to tell us. I think it's daft to just dismiss their findings out of hand.

 

As I grow older, I will certainly not stop exercising and having fun in the outdoors. But I will be taking increasing notice of the health of my heart.

 

And if that means I have to dial down the long rides and races, then so be it.

Posted

Case in point ...

 

basically: 50g/day of bacon raises your risk of bowel cancer from ≈0.064% to ≈0.072%. Any reports saying "bad as smoking" are irresponsible

 

So should I smoke or eat bacon, you guys tell me please?

Posted

What is an important gem of wisdom for me is that I need to appreciate that I recover slower from hard efforts (relative to the 26 year old that races with me).

 

So, rest is key too

For the nervous system

And the ol' heart

Posted

The problem is that many of us are balls-to-the-wall type of people. I think it is there where the risk may lurk. One sometimes should show respect to the body and I tend not to.

Posted

The problem is that many of us are balls-to-the-wall type of people. I think it is there where the risk may lurk. One sometimes should show respect to the body and I tend not to.

 

You and me both my friend!

Posted

I heard about this thing called dihydrogen monoxide... Cyclists have been filling their bottles with it. Apparently can kill you if you drink too much of it!? Falls from the sky as well? Wtf?

Good research that shows if you overdo it, it can definitely kill you.

 

Even taking in too much during a long event can be dangerous.

Posted

Case in point ...

 

basically: 50g/day of bacon raises your risk of bowel cancer from ≈0.064% to ≈0.072%. Any reports saying "bad as smoking" are irresponsible

 

So should I smoke or eat bacon, you guys tell me please?

Eat bacon. 

 

Always eat bacon.

Posted

Hi guys and girls

 

This is a very contentious issue in the sports med and cardiology communities at the moment. It was discussed at length at the SASMA conference last week with the excellent Dr Baggish (USA).

 

As usual, it is a lot more complicated than it might seem and there is no simple answer.

 

Cardiovascular exercise is good for your heart but in extremes, and in susceptible individuals, it can cause damage. Cyclists have big hearts but generally our hearts are bigger and more efficient at pumping blood. It is when these big hearts begin pumping inefficiently that the problems creep in.

 

Do not ignore symptoms!

Chest pain

Palpitations

Syncope during exercise (fainting)

Breathlessness which is out of sync with effort

 

Any of those should be checked out by a doc or cardiologist with some sports med background.

 

Happy riding

Posted

As I see it, in every thing that you can do/ eat/ drink there are pro's and con's. In some the pro's outweigh the con's and vice versa.

 

The solution is to do/ take more of the good stuff and less of the bad stuff.

Posted

Hi guys and girls

 

This is a very contentious issue in the sports med and cardiology communities at the moment. It was discussed at length at the SASMA conference last week with the excellent Dr Baggish (USA).

 

As usual, it is a lot more complicated than it might seem and there is no simple answer.

 

Cardiovascular exercise is good for your heart but in extremes, and in susceptible individuals, it can cause damage. Cyclists have big hearts but generally our hearts are bigger and more efficient at pumping blood. It is when these big hearts begin pumping inefficiently that the problems creep in.

 

Do not ignore symptoms!

Chest pain

Palpitations

Syncope during exercise (fainting)

Breathlessness which is out of sync with effort

 

Any of those should be checked out by a doc or cardiologist with some sports med background.

 

Happy riding

 

Thanks Doc. 

 

Hope everything is going well with the team at the moment. Looking forward to seeing how the new signings perform in 2016  :thumbup: .

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