Endurance Sport Training Risks

Endurance training may increase risk of high blood pressure, heart complications.
Bloomberg News (3/13, Thomas) reported that, according to data presented during the American College of Cardiology meeting, "marathon runners are at risk for high blood pressure and heart complications, as endurance training can stress the cardiovascular system." Indeed, "moderate exercise has a protective effect and people who don't exercise have a higher risk of developing heart-related problems." But, comparing the cardiovascular system to "a sports car engine," lead researcher Despina Kardara, of the Athens Medical School, said, "If you do not use it, it will decay, but if you run it too fast for too long, you might burn out."
In fact, the marathoners who participated in the study "had significantly higher systolic blood pressure...than the non-marathoners, about 11 points higher on average, when measured at the brachial artery in the upper arm," HealthDay (3/13) reported. "Their mean blood pressure was also about eight points higher on average," and they had "increased stiffness of the large arteries, suggesting that some types of high-intensity exercise may actually be bad for the heart, potentially leading to hardening of the arteries, high blood pressure, heart attack, and even death."