Too Much Exercise is Good for the Heart?

Prior studies may have suggested that extreme aerobic activity may be bad for your heart. However, a new clinical study reveals that the benefit of exercise, even the extreme ones, outweighs the risk.

A new published scientific review on the subject was made by researchers from American College of Cardiology Sports and Exercise Cardiology Leadership Council reports MedPageToday. The study which was published in the Journal of the American College Cardiology on Jan. 18 suggests that even extreme levels of training usually done by lifelong endurance athletes are better than doing nothing.  

"The public media has embraced the idea that exercise may harm the heart and disseminated this message, thereby diverting attention away from the benefits of exercise as a potent intervention for the primary and secondary prevention of heart disease," Dr. Michael Scott Emery, co-chair of the Sports and Exercise Cardiology Council, Dr. Michael Scott Emery, co-chair of the Sports and Exercise Cardiology Council, said in a journal news release reports Philly.com.

According to the researchers, even small amounts of exercise can reduce the risk for heart disease. Standing is even deemed better than being sedentary. The more an individual exercises, the greater the decrease in cardiovascular disease.

Sadly, only half of all American adults get the federally recommended guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise in a week according to the researchers.

In particular, patients who suffered from cardiovascular disease will improve their health by adding physical activities on their daily routines contrary to most beliefs. However research shows that only 62 from this group were recommended to a cardiac rehabilitation after being discharged. Of those referred, only 23 percent actually attends more than one rehabilitation session. In the end, only 5 percent completes the whole 36 or more sessions.

"The available evidence should prompt clinicians to recommend strongly low- and moderate-exercise training for the majority of our patients," Emery said as reported in Philly.com.

"Equally important are initiatives to promote population health at large through physical activity across the lifespan, as it modulates behaviour from childhood into adult life", he added, reports the news site.

MedPageToday also reports that the study also noted that cardiovascular benefits from exercise will level off at a certain point. However, the researchers are not concern on too much exercise but rather on the lack of it.

So in conclusion, the study ultimately suggests that it still better to exercise even than doing nothing at all. Cardiovascular exercises include circuit training, swimming, running and biking. When done at least three times a week for an hour each day, it will bring amazing benefits to a person's health the research team concludes.