Is cycling bad for the heart??

[fossyant]

You are better keeping pretty fit generally as you go into old age Big advantages having a good cardio system as you age. I've two mates that died young of heart attaks. One ex high level racer - died 55, other regular marathon runner, mid 45's. Alot of it is genetics and you can't change that. You can mitigate it by keeping fit.

I shan't worry about it, I'm going to keep smshing out the miles and keep trying to keep up with a couple of very speedy mates from here ! We're all of the no chance getting a leccy bike and we are in our 50's.

You've more chance of kicking it being hit by a car.

 

[tyred]

I won't worry about it. I like to keep active and do often cycle and walk what most people would consider long distance. My intensity is far off the level they talk about.

 

[ColinJ]

My dad had miserable health from his late 50s and died aged 84. I am 67 and still doing great bike rides and walks. If somebody told me that I could live my way but die at 75, or live like him and die at 84+, I would carry on doing what I do!

 

[slowmotion]

I had a double bypass in 2012 and was told not to cycle for six weeks, mainly to give my sternum enough time to knit together again (they chop it down the centreline to gain access to your ticker). When the time was up, I asked the consultant if I could start riding again.

"You can ride as far and as fast as you like but it's probably best if you don't enter the Tour de France".

 

[boydj]

I was diagnosed last year with stenosis of the aortic valve and partially blocked coronary arteries, which resulted in major surgery to correct. In spite of being very fit for my age, genetics rules. What they did say was that had I not been fit I would very likely have followed my father and had a heart attack many years ago. As it is, I'm back playing golf and building up the bike miles again.

Keeping fit and regular exercise within your limits not only helps you live longer, but improves the quality of your life and cycling is a great way of achieving low impact exercise.

 

[HLaB]

The doc in the vid stressed it quite well IMO along the lines of 'DONT STOP, the benefits of exercise far outweighs the negatives', he lists them too. In my own story I think I put up with what I didn't know was bowel (colon) cancer too long. If I hadn't been fit its likely it would burst out of my colon and spread fatally. When it was diagnosed because I was in a good shape I was in the operating theatre ASAP. Also when I got chemotherapy after because I was in a good shape I was able to battle it appropriately.

 

[Big John]

Did anyone recognise Professor McCann? 🤔

 

[Slick]

Interesting; especially as a sufferer of atrial fibrillation. And featuring the famous Dr Gerry McCann too!
Thanks for posting.

Did anyone recognise Professor McCann? 🤔

 

[Alex321]

I am asking you to post the latest peer reviewed research you mentioned, with the claim that “All cycling, no matter the volume, intensity or number of years you do it, increases AF risk over general population”. It can’t be that hard because you’ve just mentioned the latest research indicates this. I don’t claim to know everything, but I do know the latest research I read in 2020 did not make this claim, and where there was increased risk there had to be decades of high volume and high intensity, and the sampled population all pretty much came from competitive cycling aka racing. Thus it didn’t apply to your everyday cyclist. You are claiming the research view changed; love to see this latest research you’ve read, that makes this claim.

What you are asking for is that he post you the results of research that has only just started.

He said the BHF are funding research into it. Not that there is definitely a higher risk. That is entirely your twist and reading meanings into what was written that simply aren't there.

 

[kingrollo]

A slight aside a friend of mine got AF from training through a cold.
It's certainly made me rest when I am not well. I have in the past pushed through with coughs, colds, sore throats etc.

 

[Jameshow]

Poor guy. Cannot imagine what he's been though. 😢

 

[ClichéGuevara]

Do the figures include broken hearts due to not being able to afford that bike, or getting scalped on a ride?

 

[bonzobanana]

I think high intensity exercise always has a risk if you push your body to the very limits. Developing muscles is basically damaging your current muscles so the body repairs them with slightly stronger capacity and if you do this frequently and aggressively then you are going through replacing your muscles including tissues in the heart more rapidly which is a degenerative process. When you look at people that do very physical jobs like miners they age quite rapidly and often don't live into retirement long if they get there at all. They wear out or burn out their bodies more rapidly. Moderation as always seems like the perfect balance for health and long life.

 

[cougie uk]

I'm pretty good at listening to my body (or perhaps just lazy). I use the fitness trends on Strava and intervals.icu to check I am on the right track.
I do remember a few years ago when I was training to qualify for something and I was getting very fit - but had to back down a bit when my HR was getting a teeny bit irregular at rest.

 

[cougie uk]

I think high intensity exercise always has a risk if you push your body to the very limits. Developing muscles is basically damaging your current muscles so the body repairs them with slightly stronger capacity and if you do this frequently and aggressively then you are going through replacing your muscles including tissues in the heart more rapidly which is a degenerative process. When you look at people that do very physical jobs like miners they age quite rapidly and often don't live into retirement long if they get there at all. They wear out or burn out their bodies more rapidly. Moderation as always seems like the perfect balance for health and long life.

I'm not sure it's the work that is damaging for miners (when did anyone last see a miner ?) - more the conditions and the lung illnesses they develop ?