A 2011 study looked at the heart function of 40 elite long-term endurance athletes after four endurance races of varying lengths.
By measuring cardiac enzymes and taking ultrasounds, the researchers were able to measure the acute effects of extreme exercise on the heart.
They found that:
- Right ventricular (RV) function diminished after races
- Blood levels of cardiac enzymes (markers for heart injury) increased
- The longer the race, the greater the decrease in RV function
- 12 percent of the athletes had scar tissue in their heart muscle detected on MRI scans one week after the race
The authors of the study concluded that, “intense exercise causes dysfunction of the RV, but not the LV.
Excessive cardio may actually be counterproductive.
Joseph Mercola
Author
Dr. Joseph Mercola is the founder of Mercola.com. An osteopathic physician, best-selling author, and recipient of multiple awards in the field of natural health, his primary vision is to change the modern health paradigm by providing people with a valuable resource to help them take control of their health.
