offspring

Friday, June 29, 2012

Two cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of heart failure

Two cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of heart failure (but five are bad for you)

By Fiona Macrae
|

Two mugs of coffee a day could help keep the heart healthy. A study has linked the drink with a lower risk of heart failure.

With up to 40 per cent of those affected dying within a year of diagnosis, heart failure has a worse survival rate than many cancers. 

The latest research suggests that regularly drinking moderate amounts of coffee can cut the odds of cardiac trouble – though too much could be counter-productive.

Coffee may protect against heart failure by reducing the chance of developing diabetes, said scientists
Coffee may protect against heart failure by reducing the chance of developing diabetes, said scientists

Crunching together the results of five previous studies, involving almost 150,000 men and women, showed that those who enjoyed one or two mugs of coffee a day were 11 per cent less likely to develop heart failure than those who had none.

Heart attack survivors gained as much benefit as those with healthy hearts.

But drinking five or more mugs a day appeared to be bad for the heart, the journal Circulation Heart Failure reports.
 
Researcher Dr Murray Mittleman, of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, said: ‘As with so many things, moderation appears to be the key here too.’ 

The researchers aren’t sure why coffee seems to cut the odds of heart failure, in which the organ, weakened by a heart attack or disease, struggles to pump blood around the body. 

They say it may be because the drink reduces the likelihood of high blood pressure and of diabetes – both of which boost the odds of heart failure.

Dr Mittleman said: ‘It stands to reason that reducing one’s odds of developing either one of them,  in turn, reduces one’s chance of heart failure.’

Colleague Elizabeth Mostofsky added: 'This is good news for coffee drinkers.'

Other recent research to hearten coffee drinkers includes a study that credited the drink with helping people live longer.

The US government-funded researchers found the more coffee you drink, the less likely you are to die from a number of different ailments.

These include heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries, accidents, diabetes and infections, but not cancer.

It is also known that some people inherit genes that make them more reliant on caffeine than others.

Those with the 'caffeine addict' genes, need to drink more coffee to get the same buzz.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2164997/Coffee-benefits-Two-cups-day-reduce-risk-heart-failure-bad-you.html#ixzz1zCX5VtU0

Monday, June 25, 2012

Cherry Bakewell cup cakes

Bring home the baking: Cherry Bakewell cup cakes

By Linda Collister

Fan of BBC1's The Great British Bake Off? Then try this delicious nostalgic recipe from the new book

Makes 12

Retro treat: These Cherry Bakewells will be the icing on the cake for afternoon tea © Woodlands Books
Retro treat: These Cherry Bakewells will be the icing on the cake for afternoon tea © Woodlands Books

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CUP CAKES
  • 150g unsalted butter, very soft
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 100g self-raising fl our
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 60g ground almonds
  • 1 tablespoon milk, at room temperature
  • 4 tablespoons raspberry jam
FOR THE ICING
  • 250g icing sugar
  • About 3 tablespoons strained fresh lemon juice
  • 12 glacé cherries (nondyed), rinsed and dried
  • 1 x 12-hole muffin tray, lined with paper muffin or cup-cake cases

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. 


Beat the butter with an electric mixer until creamy. Add all the other ingredients for the cup cakes, except the jam, and beat until light and creamy.


Spoon the mixture into the cup-cake cases, dividing it evenly. Level the
mixture in each case using your fingertip. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or
until golden brown and firm to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the
centre of a cup cake comes out clean. Remove each cup cake from the
tray and place on a wire rack. Leave to cool completely.



2 To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a mixing bowl and work in
enough of the strained lemon juice to make a thick, but spoonable and
runny icing. Set aside.



Using an apple corer, remove the centre from each cup cake, cutting
only two-thirds of the way down. Stir the jam with a teaspoon until it is
a little runny, then carefully spoon into the holes in the cup cakes until
the jam just reaches the top (don’t over-fi ll).



3 Beat the icing using a teaspoon, then spoon it over the top of each cup
cake to flood the surface until the icing reaches the sides of the paper
case. Take care that the jam doesn’t become mixed into the icing. Add
a cherry to the middle immediately and leave to set.



COOK'S TIP
Good knives, trays, tins, digital scales and an oven thermometer are essential for baking

MARY'S TIP
When using glacé cherries, make sure they are washed and dried really well, otherwise the syrup they are kept in will leak into your icing, if being used to decorate the cake, or cause the cherries to sink to the bottom of the sponge cake during baking.

Great British Bake Off: How to Bake: The Perfect Victoria Sponge and Other Baking Secrets by Linda Collister Published by BBC Books

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Taking fish oil pills 'does not prevent brain decline'

Elderly warned that taking fish oil pills 'does not prevent brain decline'

By Jenny Hope
|
No good: Fish oil pills aren't believed to be of much benefit
No good: Fish oil pills aren't believed to be of much benefit 

Older people taking fish-oil supplements to boost memory and brain power could be wasting their time and money, a study suggests.

Researchers found supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids do not appear to prevent mental decline in old age.

A review of trials lasting up to three-and-a-half years failed to show such benefits, even though previous research suggested omega-3 can help keep brain cells healthy.

It was thought that fish-oil supplements, rich in the omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, might slow or prevent mental decline as they are found in reduced amounts in people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers from an international collaboration that reviews existing data looked at three trials on the effects of omega-3 taken in the form of capsules or added to margarine.

The benefits were compared with those of sunflower oil, olive oil or regular margarine.
A total of 3,536 people over the age of 60 took part in the trials, which lasted between six and 40 months. None had any initial signs of mental decline or dementia.

 
Participants taking omega-3 scored no better in standard tests of memory and mental performance than those not given supplements, according to findings published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Co-author Dr Alan Dangour of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said: ‘From these studies, there doesn’t appear to be any benefit for cognitive health for older people of taking omega-3 supplements.


WHY THE REAL THING IS THE BEST OPTION


Fish supplies omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for brain development and function.
The best dietary source of these acids is oily fish because the human body cannot produce them.

Children and adults are advised to eat fish at least twice a week, including one portion of oily fish such as salmon.

Most fish-oil capsules contain  the identical omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.
But fish is thought to be more beneficial as it contains minerals such as iodine and phosphorus, as well as the antioxidant selenium.

Co-author Dr Alan Dangour of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said: ‘From these studies, there doesn’t appear to be any benefit for cognitive health for older people of taking omega-3 supplements.

‘However, these were relatively short-term studies, so we saw very  little deterioration in cognitive function in either the intervention groups or the control groups
.
‘It may take much longer to see any effect of these supplements.’
Further studies were needed, he said, stressing that omega-3 in fish oil might have other benefits.


Dr Carrie Ruxton, an independent nutritionist and scientific adviser to the Health Supplements Information Service, said: ‘Two thirds of Britons never eat oily fish, they do not have omega-3 in their diet and supplements are a good alternative.’


Olive Oil could cut heart disease risk

Just two tablespoons of olive oil a day could cut heart disease risk

By Pat Hagan
|
Two tablespoons of olive oil a day almost halves the risk of heart disease while one spoonful cuts the risk by 28 per cent
Two tablespoons of olive oil a day almost halves the risk of heart disease while one spoonful cuts the risk by 28 per cent 

Olive oil has long been known to be good for the heart.

Now scientists have found out  exactly how good it can be. And it doesn’t take much to enjoy the benefits.

According to their research, just two tablespoons of olive oil almost halves your risk of dying from heart disease. The equivalent of one tablespoon cuts the risk by around 28 per cent.

There have been numerous studies highlighting olive oil’s  benefits to the heart, but few  have investigated the extent to which this translates into reduced death rates.

The results are based on the diets of nearly 41,000 adults in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, which began 20 years ago.

While the research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found olive oil does not appear to reduce cancer deaths, there was an enormous impact on the death toll from heart disease.

Last night British experts said the results showed that olive oil, a large part of the so-called Mediterranean diet which is rich in fish, fruit and  vegetables, played an even bigger part in preventing heart disease than first thought.

Super food: Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and polyphenols that can reduce the risk of blood cuts
Super food: Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fats and polyphenols that can reduce the risk of blood cuts 

The researchers stressed that they had allowed for the benefits  of other ingredients in the Mediterranean diet when assessing olive oil’s powers.
‘These findings are very significant,’ said Dr Charles Knight of the British Cardiovascular Society. ‘This is confirmation that olive oil is good for the heart.’

Olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats and polyphenols, compounds that can dampen inflammation in the body and possibly reduce the risk of clots.

Spanish researchers studied data on the eating habits of 40,622 men and women between 29 and 69, tracking them for just over 13 years to see what effect olive oil had on death rates. In the study period, just under 2,000 of the recruits died, including 956 from cancer and 416 from heart disease.

The data showed that heart death victims were among the lowest consumers of olive oil. Those who got through 29 grams or more a day – just over two tablespoons – were 44 per cent less likely to die from cardiac problems.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2160097/Just-tablespoons-olive-oil-day-cut-heart-disease-risk.html#ixzz1yLYqqKwj

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Daylight Exposure...

How DAYLIGHT could reduce the risk of having a heart attack

  • Daylight exposure inside hospital could also reduce the damage caused by a heart attack
By Daily Mail Reporter
|
Forget CPR, aspirin and blood clot busters - treating a heart attack victim could be as simple as exposing them to light.

Doctors say strong light or even just daylight could cut the risk of having a heart attack or suffering permanent damage after having one.

They say that heart attack victims could recover quicker in hospital simply by being exposed to daylight.


The scientists said that daylight exposure inside of the hospital could reduce the damage that is caused by a heart attack
The scientists said that daylight exposure inside of the hospital could reduce the damage that is caused by a heart attack

Experts say the answer lies in the body’s clock, or circadian rhythm, that is linked to light and dark.

The circadian clock is regulated by proteins in the brain. But the same proteins are also in the heart.

Heart expert Tobias Eckle, from the University of Colorado, Denver, and colleagues found that one of the proteins link to the body’s clock - called Period 2 - plays a vital role in fending off damage from a heart attack.

 
During a heart attack, little or no oxygen reaches the heart. Without oxygen, the heart has to switch from its usual fuel - fat - to glucose. Without that change in heart metabolism, cells die and the heart is damaged.

The study showed that the Period 2 protein is vital for that change in fuel, from fat to glucose, and therefore could make heart metabolism more efficient.

The team found that strong daylight activated Period 2 in animals and cut damage from a heart attack.

Professor Eckle said: 'The study suggests that strong light, or even just daylight, might ease the risk of having a heart attack or suffering damage from one.

'For patients, this could mean that daylight exposure inside of the hospital could reduce the damage that is caused by a heart attack.'

The research is published in the science journal Nature Medicine.

Future studies will try to understand how light is able to change heart metabolism in humans and how this could be used to treat heart attacks in patients.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2135636/How-DAYLIGHT-reduce-risk-having-heart-attack.html#ixzz1xmqCIDfZ

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Dehyration could change our mood & ability to think..

Calm down dear, with a sip of water: Dehydration can alter mood and ability to think

By Mail On Sunday Reporter


People who feel like losing their temper might find a glass of water calms them down, researchers claim.

Mild dehydration can alter a person’s mood, energy level and ability to think clearly, according to studies at America’s University of Connecticut.

‘Even mild dehydration – 1.5 per cent loss in normal water volume in the body – that can occur in the course of our ordinary daily activities can degrade how we are feeling, especially for women, who are more susceptible to the adverse effects of low levels of dehydration,’ said Harris Lieberman, one of the studies’  co-authors. 




Drink up: Mild dehydration can have an adverse effect on the mood especially in women
Drink up: Mild dehydration can have an adverse effect on the mood especially in women

Tests showed that it didn’t matter if a person had just walked for 40 minutes on a treadmill or was sitting at rest, the adverse effects were the same.
 
Lawrence Armstrong, one of the studies’ lead scientists, added: 'Our thirst sensation doesn’t really appear until we are one per cent or two per cent dehydrated. 


By then dehydration is already setting in and starting to impact how our mind and body perform.

'Dehydration affects all people, and staying properly hydrated is just as important for those who work all day at a computer as it is for marathon runners, who can lose up to 8 percent of their body weight as water when they compete.'


Research: Test subjects who were dehydrated experienced more difficulty when performing mental tasks
Research: Test subjects who were dehydrated experienced more difficulty when performing mental tasks 

Subjects were put through a series of tests measuring vigilance, concentration, reaction time, learning, memory, and reasoning. 


Their results were then compared against those of individuals who were not dehydrated.

In young women, mild dehydration was found to cause headaches, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating. 


Female subjects found tasks more difficult although they suffered no substantive reduction in cognitive ability.

Young men experienced some difficulty with mental tasks, particularly in the areas of vigilance and working memory and also experienced fatigue, tension, and anxiety.

Changes in mood and symptoms were 'substantially greater in females than in males, both at rest and during exercise'.

Experts recommend drinking two litres of water a day.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Ginseng......

Ginseng can cut tiredness caused by cancer

  • Study of 340 patients
  • Two months of treatment reduced tiredness
  • High doses necessary, but proved in blind placebo test
By Rob Waugh
|
Ginseng helps long-term cancer patients fight off the tiredness caused by the condition.
Researchers found high doses of the herb American ginseng over two months reduced cancer-related tiredness in patients more effectively than a placebo. 

They studied 340 patients who had completed cancer treatment or were being treated for cancer at one of 40 community medical centres. 


Researchers found high doses of the herb American ginseng over two months reduced cancer-related tiredness in patients more effectively than a placebo 

Researchers found high doses of the herb American ginseng over two months reduced cancer-related tiredness in patients more effectively than a placebo

Sixty per cent of the patients studied had breast cancer.
Each day, those taking part received a placebo or 2,000 milligrams of ginseng administered in capsules containing pure, ground American ginseng root.

Researcher Doctor Debra Barton, of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Centre in the United States, said: ‘Off-the-shelf ginseng is sometimes processed using ethanol, which can give it oestrogen-like properties that may be harmful to breast cancer patients.’

At four weeks, the pure ginseng provided only a slight improvement in fatigue symptoms.
However, at eight weeks, ginseng offered cancer patients significant improvement in general exhaustion - feelings of being ‘worn out,’ ‘fatigued,’ ‘sluggish,’ ‘run-down,’ or ‘tired’ - compared to the placebo group.

Dr Barton said: ‘After eight weeks, we saw a 20-point improvement in fatigue in cancer patients, measured on a 100-point, standardized fatigue scale.’

And she said the herb had no apparent side effects.

Ginseng has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a natural energy booster. Until this study, its effects had not been tested extensively against the debilitating fatigue that occurs in up to 90 per cent of cancer patients.

Fatigue in cancer patients has been linked to an increase in the immune system's inflammatory cytokines as well as poorly regulated levels of the stress-hormone cortisol. 


Ginseng's active ingredients, called ginsenosides, have been shown in animal studies to reduce cytokines related to inflammation and help regulate cortisol levels.
Dr Barton's next study is to look closely at ginseng's effects on the specific biomarkers for fatigue.

She added: ‘Cancer is a prolonged chronic stress experience and the effects can last 10 years beyond diagnosis and treatment.

‘If we can help the body be better modulated throughout treatment with the use of ginseng, we may be able to prevent severe long-term fatigue.’

The findings were due to be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2154491/Hope-long-term-cancer-patients--ginseng-cut-tiredness-caused-illness.html#ixzz1x2266Qoc

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Washing Machine....


How washing machines can put your family's health at risk

Low temperatures and mixed loads are spreading dangerous bugs

By Fiona Duffy


The pasta stains might have disappeared — but are your freshly laundered clothes really clean? In our desire to be greener, as well as softer on clothes, many of us are lowering the temperature of our washes. 

The maker of Ariel Gel is encouraging consumers to wash at 15c rather than 40c in order to halve energy costs. But experts are concerned our bid to save the planet — and money — will affect our health. 

For while we associate laundry with cleanliness, some estimates say the average washing machine load contains 100 million E.coli at any one time. 

False economy: Washing at low temperatures may save your energy bills but it could damage your health
False economy: Washing at low temperatures may save your energy bills but it could damage your health

A report by the International Scientific Forum on Home Hygiene warns that low temperature washing might not be strong enough to kill disease-causing bugs.
Professor Sally Bloomfield, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, wants a campaign to educate consumers in laundry hygiene. ‘We need to launder clothing in a way that renders them not just visually clean, but hygienically clean — the two are not the same,’ she says. 

Her concerns are backed by a German study on clothes contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus, linked to skin and urinary tract infections, as well as pneumonia. Researchers found the only way to eradicate the bacterium was with temperatures of 40c and above combined with a detergent containing bleach.

‘If you work with food and put your uniform in with the rest of the family’s dirty laundry, including dirty underwear, it could become infected with e.coli or salmonella — or whatever else is on those clothes,’ says Dr Lisa Ackerley, a consultant in environmental hygiene.

‘In winter, the norovirus (the vomiting bug) could easily spread through a family via the washing machine if you’re not using a high enough temperature wash.’

While most people are resilient to such infections, for those with reduced immunity, such as the elderly and patients recently discharged from hospital, this can cause real problems.

Meanwhile, allergy experts are concerned about the impact of low-temperature washing, as studies show washing at 30c or 40c kills just 6  per cent of house dust mites, compared with 100 per cent at 60c.

'In winter, the norovirus (the vomiting bug) could easily spread through a family via the washing machine if you're not using a high enough temperature wash'

There are also fears that, over time, low-temperature washing could have more serious implications, including the spread of the superbug MRSA.

‘The old-fashioned way of washing clothes was to boil them at 100c.’ says John Oxford, professor of virology at St Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry and chair of the Global Hygiene Council. 

‘These days, people are lowering temperatures to 40c or even lower. To be sure of getting rid of faecal bugs, you need to get the temperature back up to 60c.’

Even choosing the right detergent isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. There are two types of detergent: non-biological, which contains bleach to clean and disinfect, and biological detergents, which rely on enzymes (naturally occurring proteins harvested from micro-organisms) to digest and rinse away proteins and compounds that make up dirt. Manufacturers say enzymes are effective at lower temperatures and less harsh on fabrics.

Many consumers believe biological detergents are harsher on sensitive skin, but a study published in the British Journal Of Dermatology found little evidence for this. 

As for powder versus liquid detergents, the latter tend not to contain bleach. Powder has been used successfully for decades, says Andy Trigg, washing machine engineer and founder of White Goods Help. ‘If liquid was definitely better than powder, powder would have disappeared by now, but it hasn’t,’ he says.

In terms of temperature, the Hygiene Council recommends that all clothes, linens and other fabrics should be laundered at a high temperature — i.e., 60c — to be sure bacteria, viruses and dust mites have been destroyed. 

It also says if lower temperatures are used, then a laundry disinfectant should be added — particularly for the laundry of small children or other contaminated items. 


Extra care: If lower temperatures are used for children's clothes, then a laundry disinfectant should be added
Extra care: If lower temperatures are used for children's clothes, then a laundry disinfectant should be added

For these circumstances, Dr Lisa Ackerley recommends adding Napisan or Dettol 
disinfectant liquid to a regular detergent (see bottles for instructions). 

Other products that claim to leave clothes hygienically clean at lower temperatures include Milton Antibacterial fabric solution, Eradicil laundry sanitiser and Halo detergent. Professor Bloomfield says if anyone in the household is ill or has poor immunity, it’s important to wash at 60c. 

Many of us think nothing of throwing our underwear into the machine with the rest of the laundry. In fact, there’s a high risk your undies will harbour bacteria and they should be kept separate from low-risk items, such as skirts and shirts. 

Instead, your underwear should have a high-temperature machine wash to itself or be cleaned with towels and sheets, agree experts. 

A study by Hygiene Audit Systems found living bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and E.coli, on 83 per cent of laundered underwear samples. 


Of the samples tested, 89 per cent had been washed at temperatures of 40c or lower. Dr Lisa Ackerley, who carried out the study, says: ‘Washing underwear separately and at a high temperature is even more important if the wearer is ill or suffering from an infection,’ she says. ‘Some organisms secreted by the body when a person is ill are infectious even in low doses.’

'A washing machine that is only ever run at low temperatures will be heaving with mould and bacteria'

Washing underwear with household items such as tea towels is a big no, as if Staphylococcus aureus and e.coli are present they will be transferred to your cloths and then onto kitchen utensils.

Bathroom and kitchen-related items should each have their own hot wash cycle, says Dr Ackerley.  

And wash baby clothing separately from any high-risk items. 

‘Babies have a lower immune system and are more susceptible to bacterial or fungal infections, which could easily be transferred during a low-temperature wash.’ 

The latest green alternative to detergent is ‘laundry balls’, which contain pellets of minerals. But do they clean clothes hygienically?

Simeon Van Der Molen, managing director of Ecozone, which produces Ecoballs, says: ‘They are a natural, alternative product for everyday, lightly-soiled, clothing.
‘Most of their ingredients are similar to what you will find in a laundry detergent, but without the harsher chemical ones. But the results are far below what you’d get with something like Persil because of the enzymes and the technology that has gone into that product.
‘If someone is ill in the house, we would say, regardless of the product, do all washes at 60c — this will kill most bacteria.’

Experts also urge people to clean the washing machine, amid concern that low temperatures and detergents without bleach are taking their toll on the machines. 

Dr Ackerley explains: ‘A washing machine that is only ever run at low temperatures will be heaving with mould and bacteria. Most manufacturers recommend carry out a weekly or monthly very hot wash to clean the machine out. 

‘I regularly wash my white towels at 95c to give the machine a good clean and reduce the bacteria load.’ 

Andy Trigg adds that ‘dirty machines’ have only become a problem since the launch of liquid detergents in the mid-Nineties.
‘Liquid detergent doesn’t contain bleaching agents,’ he says. ‘And it is these bleaching agents that help keep the washing machine free from bacteria and black mould. A maintenance wash is particularly important if you mostly use low-temperature washes and or liquid, or colour-friendly, detergent. 

‘Once a month, put the washing machine on the hottest wash with a bleach-based detergent. Cleaning the detergent drawer and the rubber ring also reduce problems.’ 

The Hygiene Council adds: ‘It is important that all household cloths are cleaned on a regular basis by either disinfecting, boiling or placing them in a hot wash in the washing machine at a minimum temperature of 60c and then ensuring they are dried properly after each use.’


For information about products, see whitegoodshelp.co.uk, eradicil.co.uk and halo.co.uk

Monday, June 4, 2012

Excess exercise 'hurts the heart',,,,

Excess exercise 'hurts the heart' and cause dangerous long-term harm, say scientists

By Jenny Hope
|

Extreme exercise such as marathons may permanently damage the heart and trigger rhythm abnormalities, warn researchers.

They say the safe ‘upper limit’ for heart health is a maximum of an hour a day - after which there is little benefit to the individual.

A review of research evidence by US physicians says intensive training schedules and extreme endurance competitions can cause long-term harm to people’s hearts.


Damage: Excessive endurance exercise can do long-term harm to the cardiovascular system, U.S. scientists say
Damage: Excessive endurance exercise can do long-term harm to the cardiovascular system, U.S. scientists say

Activities such as marathons, iron man distance triathlons, and very long distance bicycle races may cause structural changes to the heart and large arteries, leading to lasting injury.

Lead author Dr James O’Keefe, of Saint Luke’s Hospital of Kansas City, said exercise was generally beneficial for health but could tip into becoming harmful when taken to excessive lengths.

 
He said ‘Physical exercise, though not a drug, possesses many traits of a powerful pharmacologic agent. 


A routine of daily physical activity can be highly effective for prevention and treatment of many diseases, including coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart failure, and obesity.

However, as with any pharmacologic agent, a safe upper dose limit potentially exists, beyond which the adverse effects of physical exercise, such as musculoskeletal trauma and cardiovascular stress, may outweigh its benefits.’

Dangers: Too much physical exercise can cause musculoskeletal trauma and cardiovascular stress
Dangers: Too much physical exercise can cause musculoskeletal trauma and cardiovascular stress

A review published in the medical journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings (must credit) looked at studies detailing the mechanisms, pathophysiology, and clinical manifestations of cardiovascular injury from excessive endurance exercise.

Dr O’Keefe and colleagues said research suggests that extreme endurance training can cause transient structural cardiovascular changes and elevations of cardiac biomarkers, all of which return to normal within one week.

But for some individuals, over months and years of repetitive injury, this process can lead to the development of patchy scarring of certain areas of the heart, and abnormal heart rhythms.

In one study, approximately 12 per cent of apparently healthy marathon runners showed evidence for patchy myocardial scarring, and the coronary heart disease event rate during a two-year follow up was significantly higher in marathon runners than in runners not doing marathons.

The review said it had been known that elite-level athletes commonly develop abnormal electrocardiogram readings.

However, studies now show that changes to the heart triggered by excessive exercise can lead to rhythm abnormalities.

Endurance sports such as ultramarathon running or professional cycling have been associated with as much as a five-fold increase in the prevalence of atrial fibrillation, or abnormal heart rhythms.

Chronic excessive sustained exercise may also be associated with other heart problems including artery wall stiffening.

Dr O’Keefe said lifelong vigorous exercisers generally have lower death and disability rates compared with non-exercisers, but it was becoming important to detect intense exercisers whose regime might put them at risk.

The phenomenon has been dubbed Phidippides cardiomyopathy - after the fatal heart damage suffered by the original marathon runner.


Suffering: Massive physical efforts like those delivered by professional cyclist can be harmful, scientists say
Suffering: Massive physical efforts like those delivered by professional cyclist can be harmful, scientists say

The young Greek messenger in 490BC died suddenly after running 175 miles in two days, with the last leg of 26.2 miles from Marathon to Athens.

His death was the first report of a sudden cardiac death of a long distance runner.
Dr O’Keefe stressed the review findings should not undermine the message that physical exercise was good for most people.

He said ‘Physically active people are much healthier than their sedentary counterparts. Exercise is one of the most important things you need to do on a daily basis.

‘But what this paper points out is that a lot of people do not understand that the lion’s share of health benefits accrue at a relatively modest level.

‘Extreme exercise is not really conducive to great cardiovascular health. Beyond 30-60 minutes per day, you reach a point of diminishing returns’ he added.

Government guidelines recommend adults take aerobic exercise five times a week for 30 minutes or more for maximum health benefits.

Children should have at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a day, including taking part in sports, brisk walking and running.

Aerobic exercise is achieved through sports such as jogging, running, cycling, tennis and swimming.

The level of aerobic exertion should be enough to raise the heart rate to 120 beats a minute or higher, which includes a brisk walk and swimming. But taking a stroll or even gardening is also regarded as healthy activity.


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Confucious

 

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