Can You Exercise Too Much? Two New Studies
Note-Before you go any further into this reading, we need to make one thing clear: exercise is a vital component of staying healthy. The CDC estimates that 80% of adults do not get enough exercise. Do not take this blog post as a way to get out of your 2.5 hours of exercise each week!
Now, the news: researchers at the Karolinksa University Hospital and the German Cancer Research Center have published two studies that show too much exercise may not be healthy for your heart. The study proves that the adage “too much of a good thing” holds true, even for exercise.
The first study published by Dr. Nikola Drca from the Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm found that “men who exercised for more than five hours per week when they were 30 years old had a significantly higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation later in life compared with men who exercised less.” However, the study also showed that adults who rode their bicycle or walked had a significantly lower risk of atrial fibrillation.
The second study, conducted by Dr. Ute Mons from the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, indicated that both those who participated in daily “strenuous” physical activity had increased risk of suffering a fatal cardiovascular event. The study also showed that individuals who participated in no to little physical activity also had a chance of dying from cardiovascular complications.
Since both of these studies relied on self-reported results, doctors caution not to read into the results as conclusive. However, some researchers think that these possible results may open up the door to further research into the causality between excessive exercise and cardiovascular diseases.
If you have questions about your exercise regimen, you can always talk to the physicians at MSCI. Our Irving, Texas-based clinic is staffed with knowledgeable physicians that specialize in a variety of medicine, including cardiology and physical medicine.