Is Too Much Exercise Bad For Your Heart?

We all know that exercise is good for us, but can too much exercise at too high intensity actually be damaging to your heart? Si and Mark visit the expert cardiologists at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester to learn more about the link between exercise and cardiovascular health, and undergo MRI scans to find out the impact cycling has had on their hearts.

Please remember, if you’re worried about your heart health or have any negative symptoms, be sure to seek expert advice from a doctor.

00:00 Intro
01:26 British Heart Foundation MRI Facility
02:24 Why is exercise so good for you?
04:47 What does an MRI scan show?
05:43 Si’s results
08:43 Mark’s results
11:03 Does extreme exercise increase risk?
14:21 Summary

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[gcn]

What other health & science topics would you like to see us cover next? 🧑‍⚕🚴 Let us know in the comments below! 👇

[ianmacgregor]

I am a retired GP. In a 30 year career I saw several hard training amateur athletes in middle age who developed atrial fibrillation. I do not remember one where alcohol, particularly binge drinking was not a factor. Some sports and some athletes had a culture of "reward" drinking. Hopefully this is reducing. My advice is that if you are training at all seriously you should not drink alcohol. Many thanks to Professor McCann for pointing this out.

[azaz]

This is another reason why zone 2 training is so important. Puts less stress and pressure on the heart

[PoliticusRex]

According to my doctor, it was my strong heart and huge lungs that saved my life when I had a severe case of Covid. Two doctors wanted to put me on a respiratory but the head doctor knew my cycling history and said no. 40 years of bmx and road cycling saved my life. That and a great doctor.

[bikeump]

This is the most important video I have ever seen on GCN. I have been cycling for 20 years. My rides are usually 40 to 70 miles. I was diagnosed with a-fib in 2010 but hey were short episodes so my cardiologist wasn't concerned about my riding. When I turned 65, they put me on blood thinners (standard procedure). Three years ago I crashed while riding, breaking my collarbone and four ribs and getting a serious hematoma on my hip. The doctors' concerns initially and in the following days led them to tell me to give up cycling. Riding means so much to me mentally and physically, and I can't do that. I won't live on blood thinners the rest of my life. I sought an electro-cardiologist who was an avid cyclist, and he performed ablation on my heart. I am now cleared to ride, but I've always wondered about the long-term effect on my heart. I took the information from the video to my cardiologist. He went through my MRI and my condition with me and has agreed that my riding is not a concern, and as your video pointed out, the exercise has actually improved my physical condition. I'm nearly 70 years old now, ride four times a week and am as active and healthy as I've ever been. Thanks for this insight.

[campbellsims]

I’ve been cycling for 40 years and had a heart bypass 3 weeks ago. Being a cyclist means I have big arteries, meaning that an 80% blockage of my left anterior descending artery didn’t result in a heart attack. Only symptom I had was pain in my left shoulder blade while cycling to work, which I got checked out.

[sicbay]

Thanks for this. I am an avid cyclist - usually doing around 4-5000 miles / year. I'm 59 years old. Last November, while out on a ride, I had a sudden cardiac arrest and my heart stopped. Luckily a nurse was nearby and performed CPR on me until the ambulance arrived. I survived and now I'm back riding again! When I had an angiogram in the hospital it was discovered that I had a heart attack at some point in my past! I had no idea. Silent heart attacks are real.

[donross]

I am a 78 yo retired ER physician and I get Exercise Induced AF. I have learned a ton about the natural history of the disorder and have learned how to control it. Several thoughts are worth passing on. The most important is that I watch my rate on my Garmin 1030 like a hawk and keep it under 140-150 when I am trying for a Strava segment PR. If I ignore that and keep pushing it I can go Into AF. Also, a myriad of things make AF much more likely: massively important is alcohol intake the night before, chilling, dehydration, too much coffee, AND extremely important is a slow 5-10 mile warmup. Going for speed without a proper warmup will bring it on. I also note that I am much more prone to SVT with each increasing year of age. This also comes on without warmup but I find that if it develops I can ride through it at fairly high intensity if I just keep the rate under 180. I know AF because it makes me feel like I may pass out. SVT on the otherhand gives only the slightest feeling but I know I have gone into it because my pulse will be about 30 beats per minute faster for a given level of exertion than it should be or normally is. There is no way I will take a blood thinner or get a cardiac ablation as all the doctors recommend. It is totally manageable by understanding the mechanism of disease and altering the factors which induce the condition. I hope this information helps others who might also be prone to the condition. Also, as far as alcohol goes, I really enjoy a fine red wine and I have discovered that I can get away with having 2-3 glasses per night but only for 2 nights per week.

[CreRay]

A couple of years ago I signed up for a 6-day ride in the Dolomites. I thought it was tough, but there I met a guy who also participated, at 74 years of age! This guy has become my hero and inspiration. I want to stay fit and healthy, not just now at 46, but I want to be able to enjoy life when I'm retired as well. My parent showed me how it shouldn't be done, eating unhealthy, no exercise whatsoever, as soon as they were retired the problems started. What good is your pension when you have the time and money, but not the health? What is the quality of your life if you can't walk for more than 5-10 minutes? To not become like them has become my biggest inspiration. Thanks GCN for this video -it confirms I'm on the right path! Good point about the alcohol, I'll enjoy it even less now.

[guussophie]

I developed atrial fibrillation when I was about 45 years old and was still actively racing my road bike. I had a catheter ablation when I was 53 years old and stopped racing. I’m 62 years old now still ride my road bike 3 to 5 times a week, about a 1000km monthly. I make sure, I stay in zone 2 for most of the time and don’t go into the red zone for too long.

[darrylperry]

I played basketball competitively for years until my knees went south, then took up cycling and raced for over 25+ years. In the last year I was diagnosed with an enlarged heart and was put on meds with risk of atrial fibrillation and strokes. I still ride 6 days a week but at an easy pace. I finally realized there’s no Tour De France for me.😊

[mischief]

This is good work. Like Simon's earlier feature on sun damage and risk to skin, it provides expert level information that we either may not easily find elsewhere in understandable terms, or information that we may not think or bother to look up.

I commend it and applaud it. This is where GCN excels, these features that concentrate on us at a human level; likewise the interest and entertainment we get from watching the challenges that demonstrate what humans are able to achieve. Not that I don't enjoy the tech geekery, the occasional historical features, the presenters and the bantz. Well done GCN. In the words of OB ... Love you!

[robertcroft]

I know it shouldn't matter, but I wasn't expecting to see Gerry McCann today. Good to see him continue to do positive waves for peoples health.

[jrm]

Well done Si and Mark for sharing your personal (and usually private) health information for the benefit of all. This stuff is important but little publicised

[jimsmith]

I do like GCN’s health videos—those on men’s reproductive systems, heart, weight, mental health, for example. I agree with the suggestions made in the comments, and would add that something to do with (i) women’s health and (ii) the health of older cyclists might be useful.

[Seppster]

Great video and content. I started regular cycling several years ago and since that time my pacemaker has not triggered. Every year I get checked out, no triggers and the battery life extended. I can only say that cycling has been a huge part of this being possible. It has also had huge impacts on other aspects of my general health and well being. I am and shall always be a cyclist!! Thanks to GCN family for being our motivation!!

[johnandrews]

I've been a good amateur racing cyclist with 45 seasons done and number 46 underway. I typically ride between 15-20, 000km a year for decades. I'm 58 and my FTP in-season is typically around 375 that past few years. A while back I had an inner chest wall tear (due to stress... brutally ugly divorce/custody battle) and the only oddity the doctors found (after 2 MRIs and multiple tests) was that my heart is about 35% larger than it should be if I were a non-athlete. The doctors cleared me saying my heart has the health of a top amateur athlete in his mid 30s. I'll take that.

[Velodan]

im 71 and raced road and track for 25 years yet rarely trained more then 10hrs a week. very little alcohol. Hearts still in great shape. Everything in moderation is the key.

[markclevedon]

An excellent feature. Age, rest/recovery, moderation are all very relevant and it is proven that too much physical stress and exertion will have long term ramifications. "Listen" to your body and don't be martyrs because there is always another day.

[stevennevin]

This is by some distance the most valuable content GCN has created. imo. If just a small proportion of viewers take action off the back of watching it has the potential to save lives.