Do Athletes Have Higher Or Lower Blood Pressure
Training doesn’t grant you immunity from hypertension.
A new review article in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, from researchers in Norway, looks at the question of blood pressure in athletes by pooling the results of 51 previous studies. It’s well known that regular exercise lowers blood pressure in the general population –but does the same hold true for athletes training intensely?
The main point highlighted by the authors is that most blood pressure studies of athletes have been poorly done. Getting a reliable blood pressure reading involves taking a numbers of steps to make sure the subject is relaxed, averaging multiple readings, using the appropriate cuff size , and so on. Few of the studies took the necessary steps to get reliable readings.
That said, the overall conclusion was that there isn’t a major systematic difference between athletes and non-athletes. Of the 16 studies that compared athletes to non-athlete controls, athletes had higher blood pressure on average in seven of the studies and lower in nine of them. If you break the results down further, you find that strength-trained athletes have slightly higher blood pressure than endurance-trained athletes. There may also be a slight effect where training more than 10 hours a week produces higher blood pressure, but this difference wasn’t statistically significant:
Here’s another graph showing average results for four different sports, with no major differences:
What Is Bradycardia How To Know If Your Heart Rate Is Too Low
- Bradycardia is when your resting heart rate is slower than normal.;
- Well-trained athletes can have a resting heart rate as low as 40 or 50 bpm, and when caused by exercise, bradycardia is considered healthy.;
- However, for others with a resting heart rate this low, bradycardia can be dangerous and should be checked out by a doctor.;
- This article was reviewed by;John Osborne, MD, PhD, and the Director of Cardiology for Dallas-based State of the Heart Cardiology.
- This story is part of Insider’s guide to Heart Disease.;
Bradycardia, or a heart rate that is too slow, can be a serious condition, especially if the heart is not pumping enough oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.;
Here’s what medical experts consider to be a low heart rate, how to know if you have bradycardia, and the most common ways to treat it.;
The Difference Between Fitness And Endurance
How important is the resting heart rate for people who want to be fit? Or in other words: Is it enough that your heart is in good shape?
You have to think about the goal of your training, Hallén says.
He distinguishes between endurance and fitness. A low resting heart rate is a sign that you are in good condition.
But to be good at various sports, you need to train other muscles, not just your heart.
Endurance in the muscles that you need for your sport of choice is perhaps just as important, Hallén said.
A cyclist who is in good condition will most likely have poorer endurance on the football field than a football player in poorer condition, says Hallén.
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How To Lower Your Heart Rate
A lower resting heart rate will occur as your fitness level increases. Additional factors that contribute to a lower resting heart rate include hydration, nutrition, age, and gender. These lifestyle factors outside of training will impact the progress you make, your fitness level, and ability to lower your heart rate. Evaluate your sleep to make sure you are getting 8 hours or more per night. Read our blog for more information on strategies to improve your sleep and performance. In addition, make sure you are getting enough hydration to support your activity levels and properly fuelling your body with the appropriate macronutrient count. Limiting caffeine and alcohol intake can also contribute to lowering your heart rate. Consult a registered dietitian for more information. All of these factors will help you lower your heart rate.
Why An Increasing Trend Is Thought To Always Be A Good Thing
Increases in aerobic fitness have often been associated with increases in cardiac-parasympathetic activity in a variety of individual and team sport athletes. A common observation is that those who improve fitness also improve HRV, while those who do not improve fitness show either no change or even decreases. For example, a study by Buchheit and colleagues11 demonstrated that subjects who improved their 10K run time following a training program also showed a progressive increase in their HRV, while non-responders showed no meaningful changes. Large correlations between changes in HRV and maximum aerobic speed and 10K time trials were found.
A recent study of ours currently in press12 evaluated how early changes in HRV relate to eventual changes in intermittent running capacity in team-sport athletes. We found that athletes who demonstrated an increase in their HRV weekly mean and/or a decrease in their weekly HRV CV at the halfway point of a 5-week training program improved performance to a greater extent than those showing the opposite HRV changes. In light of studies like these, interpretation of an increasing HRV trend as being a positive response to training has become popular.
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Higher Heart Rates During Training
A second way for you to assess the cardiac efficiency of your athletes, chart their progress, and evaluate the effectiveness of your training programs is to see what their heart rate looks like during various types of training and how it changes over time. There are many different ways to assign different heart rate zones or bands. One of the most experienced players in the heart rate game, Polar, breaks these down as follows:
| Zone |
Why Endurance Athletes Should Watch A High Heart Rate
Some studies suggest a correlation between endurance training and atrial fibrillation , a potentially dangerous heart condition. This athlete saw the signs early.
Last winter I was on a long base training ride, and I felt generally awful. At first, I blamed my much higher-than-normal heart rate on fatigue, or perhaps a dying HRM battery. But after a couple of days off the bike, and more closely monitoring my heart rate in general, I decided something still didnât seem right.
A visit to my primary care doctor and a quick EKG resulted in a speedy referral to a cardiologist. Long story short, the diagnosis was Persistent Lone Atrial Fibrillation or AFib. âPersistentâ meaning my heart was in a state of AFib all the time; âLone or âIdiopathicâ meaning that the cause was unknown.
Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition characterized by an irregular and often rapid heart rate. Its not lethal on its own, but it can increase your risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. The American Heart Association estimates that at least 2.7 million Americans are living with the disorder. Traditional risk factors include what most would expect for heart conditions: congenital defects, age, heart disease, excessive stress, and stimulant use. However recent evidence suggests that long-term endurance sports training might also be a significant factor.
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Average Resting Heart Rate Chart For Men & Women
What is a good resting heart rate by age and gender? The graphic below depicts the average resting heart rate by age for male and female WHOOP members between 20 and 50 years old.
the average resting heart rate for men wearing WHOOP is 55.2 bpm, and for women its 58.8 bpm.
Across all ages, the average resting heart rate for women wearing WHOOP is 58.8 bpm, and for men its 55.2 bpm.
Given that our members tend to be athletes and/or people who are particularly interested in monitoring their health and well-being, its no surprise that the normal resting heart rate for men and women on WHOOP is below what the AMA considers average.
What Is Athletes Heart
Years of endurance trainingthink running and cyclingplace high demands on your hearts ability to power hard-working muscles. To catch up, your body works to boost whats called cardiac output, or the amount of blood it pumps out in liters per minute, saysJustin Trivax, M.D., medical director of the Cardiovascular Performance Clinic at Beaumont Hospital in Michigan.
The main upgrade required is an enlargement of the left ventricle, which does the heavy lifting when it comes to pushing oxygen-rich blood out through the aorta to the rest of the body. The muscular walls of this chamber thicken and the space inside expands. Meanwhile, the hearts other chambers work hard to keep up, also enlarging.
That increase in cardiac output means your heart doesnt have to work as hard when youre not at the gym, Dr. Trivax says. Thats why athletes often have resting heart rates that might cause alarm in anyone else.
Strength training, too, alters the heart. Unlike endurance training, where we get a big volume challenge to the heart, with strength training its a big pressure challenge, Dr. Lander says.
Liftersespecially those who bear down and hold their breath, using the Valsalva maneuvercause temporary but significant spikes in their blood pressure. As they repeat this over time, the walls of their heart can thicken, though the left ventricle doesnt typically enlarge as it does in endurance athletes, Dr. Lander says.
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Why Is The Resting Heart So Important For Athletes
The main reason why athletes go in for heart rate training is to increase the anaerobic threshold. Basically, it is to ensure that you derive maximum efficiency while exercising and performing. The aim of this is to ensure that, instead of stressing out the aerobic system of breakdown for energy, you try to break down carbohydrates or glycogen. This ensures that there is no protein breakdown and so, no muscle wasting despite excessive exercising.
What Should You Do About Athlete’s Heart
Elites and pros typically undergo heart testing, and Dr. Trivax suggests recreational athletes do the same: Anyone who is participating in routine exercise should have some cardiovascular workup, especially if theyre pushing themselves to the extremes, he says.
This type of screening can detect impending problems that increase your risk of a sudden heart event during physical activity. For instance, your doc might spot early warning signs of aortic dissectiona tear in the wall of the aorta thats often fatal, and can be brought on by the pressure changes that occur with strength training.
One problem: signs of the athletes heart can look very similar to cardiomyopathies, diseases of the heart muscle that can either be inherited or develop due to other conditions, like high blood pressure or diabetes. Often, cardiomyopathies contribute to an athletes sudden death on the field or in a race, Dr. Lander says.
Telling the difference can be trickybut more advanced procedures, such as cardiac MRIs, are giving cardiologists more tools to make the distinction, Dr. Lander says. If its still unclear, your doctor might have you stop training for a little while to see how your heart responds; many signs of the athletes heart decrease after a couple of months off, he says.
If you do have an underlying cardiomyopathy or other illness, a sports cardiologist can work with you on the safest way to approach your workouts, Dr. Trivax says.
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Resting Heart Rate For Athletes
The resting heart rate helps athletes know their fitness levels. The usual resting rate for them is lower than that seen for the rest of the population. This Buzzle article enlightens you with the information on the ideal resting heart rate for runners, as well as the risks involved in having considerably low heart rate.
The resting heart rate helps athletes know their fitness levels. The usual resting rate for them is lower than that seen for the rest of the population. This Buzzle article enlightens you with the information on the ideal resting heart rate for runners, as well as the risks involved in having considerably low heart rate.
An athlete is an individual, who works hard and strives for the highest level of fitness. The word fitness is a very broad term and it implies the overall health of the person. One of the most important defining characteristics of fitness is the heart rate of the individual. It is usually seen that an athletes resting heart rate is lower than the average rate for normal people. Given below are details regarding the same and what it signifies.
Measure Your Heart Rate When You Are Active
And for those who want better fitness, Hallén believes that resting heart rate may not be the easiest thing to use as an indicator, because there is so much that can alter your pulse, even if you try to be completely calm.
Instead, he recommends doing the same activity and measuring your heart rate each time, such as running on a treadmill at a fixed speed for a given amount of time.
If you have a lower heart rate over time, thats a good sign that your heart is able to pump more blood around the body with each beat.
Translated by: Nancy Bazilchuk.
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How Can I Lower My Bpm Fast
Ways to reduce sudden changes in heart rate include: practicing deep or guided breathing techniques, such as box breathing. relaxing and trying to remain calm. going for a walk, ideally away from an urban environment. having a warm, relaxing bath or shower. practice stretching and relaxation exercises, such as yoga.
The Risks Of Having A Large Athletes Heart
Most data suggests that athletes heart and heart disease are two distinct conditions, and most authors believe that athletic left ventricular hypertrophy is a purely physiological condition.
Its not clear if this means athletes hearts are *healthier*, but it does indicate they arent *less* healthy.
According to Dr. Aaron L. Baggish, the author of a recent review on this topic, athletes heart is most likely a beneficial physiologic adaptation to exercise.
However, there are researchers who disagree.;Some data indicates that in certain people, athletes heart might not be completely benign. Its not clear if training caused their heart problems, and theres some question as to whether or not these abnormalities are even problems in the long-run.
There is no direct evidence that the *structural* changes in athletes heart are dangerous.
Nevertheless, there are studies that seem to provide indirect evidence that too much exercise, especially endurance training, can damage the heart and blood vessels, and may cause dangerous heart rhythm disorders.
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Athletes With Big Hearts Are Usually Asymptomatic
Athletes with enlarged hearts rarely have obvious symptoms of heart disease, like chest pain, nausea, exercise intolerance, and trouble breathing.
However, this doesnt prove athletes heart is not a sign of heart disease. Several studies have found that asymptomatic athletes can have extensive heart damage and atherosclerosis.;There are several problems with these studies that well cover in another article, but they do show that an athlete without symptoms is not 100% safe.
Athletes Heart Is Largely Caused By Different Genes And Signaling Pathways Than Heart Disease
There are major differences in gene expression and molecular signaling between heart disease and athletes heart.;In fact, many studies are looking at activating some of the same pathways that cause athletes heart to prevent or treat heart disease.
On the other hand, many of these studies were done on animals, and its not clear how relevant they are for humans. There are also several chemical pathways that are activated in heart disease *and* athletes heart.;Its also possible that athletes heart is a different kind of heart disease and is mediated through different pathways. At this point we dont know.
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Elite Athletes Live A Long Time
Elite athletes, of any kind, who often have enlarged hearts, tend to live longer than the average population.;Interestingly, endurance athletes generally live the longest, despite usually having the largest hearts.
The studies that found elite athletes live longer didnt measure heart size, and its possible that the athletes with the largest hearts were also the most likely to die. Its also possible that the reason these athletes lived longer was mainly due to other factors, but a recent review found that lower cardiovascular disease mortality is likely the primary reason for their better survival rates.
These are observational studies, and they dont prove having a large heart improves your quality of life or lifespan. However, they do indicate that athletes heart probably wont increase your chances of dying, despite any potential problems it may or may not cause.
Athlete Heart Rate Zones
Heart rate, VO2 Max, power , and blood lactate are all methods that endurance athletes use for training. Heart rate training may be the most commonly used method across all demographics and populations. Its convenience, accessibility, and repeatability make it an asset for the time strapped endurance athlete. Heart rate zone training is a very individualized training method because it is based off of your personal maximum heart rate. This allows the individual to accurately train at specific intensities. The convenience makes it particularly useful for junior, para, recreational and masters athletes who may not have access to a physiological laboratory where VO2 Max and blood lactate testing can be done to determine your maximum heart rate and heart rate training zones.
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Monitor Your Athletes’ Heart Rates Throughout Training Sessions With Ludum
Endurance coach Andrejs Birjukovs recommends doing 4 x 2 minute repeats with 1 of rest in between to determine your maximum heart rate . For this test you are focusing on maximum speed during each interval. The short rest will not allow you to fully recover and by the third set your heart rate will probably reach its maximum. You will be able to accurately tell your maximum heart rate by reviewing your heart rate monitor data. When the heartbeats per minute does not climb any higher and stays consistently elevated within 1-2 beats per minute this is your maximum heart rate. Take note of the highest value and record it.
The second option is a 7 x 4 minute step that Rowing Australia implements. This option requires you to know your 2000-meter personal best time within the last 12 months. It is recommended no training takes place for a minimum of at least 12 hours before this test. This test is typically carried out in a lab setting but you can do this on your own and use a heart rate monitor strap that connects to the Concept II Ergometer Monitor to collect all of your data. This test is significantly longer and will take a total of 29 minutes. The first six steps are completed continuously and there is a 1 passive break between steps six and seven.
Please read full details on preparation, set-up, and execution of the 7 x 4 here .