Good post.

A lot of people don't seem able to think in anything other than simple yes/no, good/bad ways. The world doesn't work that way. It's all shades of grey and trade offs. So many seem threatened by the idea that at some point endurance sports may increase the likelihood of heart issues. That doesn't mean that the other health benefits of exercise have gone away. It just means that at a certain point you may have exceeded the "dose" of exercise that's optimum for promoting health. It doesn't mean that the medicine (exercise) isn't still good for you overall.

Also, keep in mind what the numbers mean. A five fold increase in the chance of AF sounds scary, but what it really might mean is that instead of 1 person out of 1,000 it's now 5 out of 1,000. Journalists always present the numbers this way, because it makes for more interesting reading than presenting the actual numbers. Without knowing the actual numbers, saying there's an x% increase in risk doesn't tell us anything.


Edited to correct the math.

---

____________________________________________
Don Larkin
Reach For More
http://www.reachformore.fit/
USAT Lvl1 Coach, NSCA-CPT, NASM-CPT, BS Exercise Science

I had the cryo ablation, no pacemaker....

No argument with that. However, until that time comes, I want to live with the highest quality of life possible!

Exactly. There is a BIG market out there for those that want to hear little to no exercise is better for you.

---

Pete Githens
Reading, PA

3 of my grandparents lived long. Close to their 90s. The one that didn't make it close to 90 died at 80.

They all lived very sedentary lives once they reached their forties (this is my parents recollection and they are unfortunately taking the same route). During their 60s, they had developed high blood pressure, cholesterol issues, they were not obese but overweight. All of them ended having diabetes, mobility issues, arthritis, etc. They were all medicated to control their diseases. In any case, two of them lost limbs due to diabetes/circulation issues, yet they continue to live for many years after that...

I can see they that they had longevity, but low quality of life (during their last years). Exercise could have prevented or improved their health issues (maybe).

I'm more afraid of dying old, with lot of medical issues depending on 15 pills a day, being pushed around on a wheelchair, than dying a little bit younger due to a heart condition induced by excessive exercise.

If I develop AFIB then I'll retire. Until then I'll enjoy cycling and running.

Quite clearly, I should have snuffed it decades ago. :-/

Yes, across the animal kingdom metabolisms vary markedly, even among mammals.

For example, a large mammal like a bear will have a very slow heartrate while hibernating.

The metabolism of some insectivorous bats will all but stop over winter when their body temp drops to near freezing, but be very high over summer. I've even seen tropical bats living to around 25 years, an impressively long time for a small mammal.

Echidnas have been recorded at around 50 years of age, but they're an anomaly in so many ways.

"Cold-blooded" reptiles, amphibians and fish complicate an overly simplistic theory even more. Let's not even venture into invertebrates like cuttlefish with four hearts.

I'm guessing the elk will be ok with it too. ;-)

This subject is of major importance to everyone doing endurance exercise over many years. So, if you are young with a lifetime of endurance exercise to look forward to, you will most likely experience some form of heart issue later in life.

I have read multiple reports and books on this subject because I started to experience some issues of my own about 10 years ago. Initially I thought it was an aberration but when it persisted, I started wearing a HRM. It sometimes occurred without other physical symptoms and at other times I could feel the transitory nature of the heart rate spike. After doing my own research I felt that I could continue to manage it without too many concerns.

After my training partner had a successful ablation to manage his atrial flutter, I thought it prudent to consult a cardiologist who just happens to be a dedicated triathlete almost in my AG. He put me through a battery of tests and concluded that, with my atrial tachycardia, I should continue what I was doing but try to avoid max HR training and racing.

I believe I am in the pioneering wave of everyday athletes who started doing fun runs in the 1960's -unlike the previous generations - and am still doing endurance work. Consequently, the jury is not yet firmly convinced one way or another whether there is any danger in continuing and whether I am shortening my life span by doing so.

I am of the opinion that the reward of my current lifestyle is greater than the risk as long as I act my age and not like that of a younger person.

I have to tend to agree, the fascination with ultra endurance training and events seems to lead to increased chances of arrhythmia.
I've never run marathon or done an Ironman but my one experience with half ironman training and racing back in the mid to late 90's did lead to a prolonged period of time(years) where I dealt with benign arrhythmias on a regular basis.
I have since sworn off long races and training and the pvc's are all but non existent.
I rarely run more than 8 miles at a time or cycle more than 25 miles at a time but I do a fair amount of speed work and at 51 I feel as good as I ever have.
I love 5k/10k races an sprint distance duathlons that usually don't take much more than an hour and Im good with that.