Excessive exercise bad for your heart, study warns

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois, Chicago, says engaging in too much exercise is unhealthy for the heart.

This warning readily brings to mind the popular saying that ‘too much of anything is bad’.

According to the researchers, who studied the link between physical activity and artery health, not being active enough is safer than engaging in excess exercise.

The team studied 3,175 men and women over the course of 25 years.

The participants were divided into three groups- those who exercised less, those who met the US department of health’s recommended guidelines for physical activity, and those who exceeded those guidelines.

Their findings showed that white men who exceeded three times the recommended guidelines were at an increased risk of accumulating fat on their arteries by their middle age.

However, the same the same result was not found in black adults participating in the survey.

Consequently, the researchers noted the importance of further studies examining how physical activity impacts heart health by race.

“It seems that with almost everything in life, the key is in balance,” said Joel Kahn, a cardiologist.

According to the researchers, the current advised standard is at least 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate exercise or 1 hour and 15 minutes of strenuous aerobic workouts for adults.

They however warned that people who didn’t exercise enough were more likely to have type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.