Don't break your heart

Over the last few years, I have touched on a somewhat controversial topic of heart damage caused by exercise. It is pretty well-understood that marathon runners who participate in many events and training hours over the years often develop heart damage. There have been a number of studies that show an increased risk in heart attack and/or sudden death in marathon runners. In a high percentage of cases, marathon runners who experienced cardiac events did so either during or within 24 hours of the running event or long training runs.

Of course, the cause is usually chalked up to chronic exercise which over time can damage heart tissue, thicken heart muscle and stress the cardiovascular system. But what about heart damage to a regular Joe or Jane athlete, casual runner, group fitness participant and gym junkie?

Here’s an idea that may be hard for active people to swallow. It seems lower exercise levels that exceed maximum aerobic heart rate can also be considered damaging. Managing your heart rate during exercise can be one of the more important aspects to consider while you exercise.

Most of us understand cardiorespiratory exercise is needed to be healthy. Doing cardio exercise works both your cardiovascular and respiratory systems. In order to have an effective workout, it is recommended to do your cardiovascular work within your aerobic heart rate training range.

Defining this training range was a somewhat complicated formula that is confusing to many. Subtract your age from 220. Take this number and multiply it by .6 and you have your lower exercise range. Multiply it by .8 and there’s your higher exercise range. Most of us do not understand these numbers or just dislike doing the math during a workout, so when we are at the gym on cardio equipment, we follow the little target heart rate chart based on age that is on most of them.

Here is something that is worth considering. What if doing less is more when it comes to being fit and more healthy based on your heart rate? Now this concept will not work for the elite or competitive athlete who relies on conditioning to win races. There is an argument that can be made that many elite athletes are likely doing too much training and in fact are harming their health, but that discussion is for another article.

Let’s stick with average people who could take advantage of the ‘less is more’ approach to exercise. When we talk about average folks, we are factoring 80 plus percent of us that find it difficult to get enough exercise into our busy lifestyles.

There is an easy formula that has been around for a long time. I can already hear a number of my older running buddies saying “Oh really, this is BS.” Take 180 less your age and keep your heart rate at or better yet below that number as a rule of thumb. So if you are 50 years old, keep your heart rate under 130 beats per minute when you exercise. This is not saying that on occasion during short burst interval training exercise you will not exceed your number, you will and you should. The key is short bursts of energy that mildly stress your body and body systems.

The key to less is more with a lower more controlled heart rate is keeping your body’s inflammatory balance in check. Exercise works because it stresses your body and causes an inflammatory reaction across many key areas like body temperature and increased metabolic rate. Chronic exercise or exercise that puts undue stress on your heart and other areas can be counterproductive. Over-exercising even in the short term can cause injury, systemic inflammation, compromised immune function, or flooding your body with cortisol which can suppress the body’s ability to maintain your health.

Finding a healthy balance when it comes to exercise levels starts with your heart. When you pay attention to your heart rate and manage your exertion levels, you in fact are burning calories efficiently in two ways. First, through better oxygen utilization which in turn keeps your energy or fueling stable leaning more on a fat burn and less glucose burn. Secondly, you are not overwhelming your system with hormonal changes such as cortisol that can stall calorie burn.

This is just touching on the very tip of a much deeper discussion on how over taxing your heart and circulatory system regularly during exercise is harmful, even for very healthy people. Studies have found chronic exercise is counterintuitive for weight loss, can bring on chronic fatigue, and make you more vulnerable to coronary artery disease.

Another negative aspect of chronic exercise is its tendency to cause overconsumption of carbohydrates, and reliance on glucose for fuel.

Keeping your body moving, mixing it up and getting enough exercise is critical to your health and wellness. Lowering your heart rate during exercise by using the formula 180 minus your age can be a very effective way to find that sweet spot for real results. I am by no means suggesting exercise is bad for you, it comes down to how you exercise and how you change up the way you exercise on a regular basis with a managed heart rate that will make all the difference in a lasting healthy outcome.

Please remember that when starting any exercise regimen, getting a physical and consulting your doctor is very important regardless of your age. There are many health factors that must be considered. One good example: if you’re taking certain medications, you may need to keep your heart rate below a certain level. Cardiorespiratory fitness is a very important component of physical fitness and a great indicator of overall health for adults. Just remember, exercise does not need to be overdone to get the best results.

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Judd Jones is a director for The Hagadone Corporation in Coeur d’Alene.