Comparing Cyclists and Non-Athletes: High-Intensity Exercise May Be Harmful to the Heart

Australian Research Team Analyzes Cyclists' Heart Rates
"Exercise Reduces Cardiovascular Strain... But Excess Can Backfire"

A study has found that excessive exercise may have a negative impact on the heart rate regulation function.

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Recently, a research team from the Medical Research Institute at St. Vincent's Hospital in Australia published a paper in the international cardiology journal 'JACC: Advances,' analyzing the effects of intense exercise on total heartbeats and healthy lifespan.

Previous studies have confirmed that the cardiovascular system operates very efficiently during exercise, but the impact of excessive exercise on health had not been clarified. There is a common belief that "the number of heartbeats in a person's lifetime is fixed, and exercise uses them up," but this study tested this hypothesis using actual data.

Heartbeats decrease by about 10% during exercise, but the effect is offset by high-intensity or prolonged workouts

The research team compared and analyzed 24-hour heart rate monitoring data from 109 athletes and 38 healthy non-athletes. As a result, the athletes had a significantly lower average daily heart rate of 68 beats per minute, compared to 76 beats per minute for non-athletes.

The researchers explained, "This difference mainly comes from a lower resting heart rate," adding, "Over the long term, this reduces cardiovascular strain, resulting in approximately 11,520 fewer heartbeats per day, or about 10.6% less."

However, if exercise is excessively prolonged, it can actually have the opposite effect and increase the average heart rate. To verify this, the team analyzed publicly available data from 57 participants in the 2023 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes cycling competitions, which are held in France.

These athletes recorded an average of 35,177 heartbeats per day during the races, with no significant difference between male and female participants. Although female athletes had shorter race times, their average heart rate was actually higher.

The research team stated, "Analysis of the 24-hour heart rate data showed that professional cyclists have a much higher total daily heartbeat count than the general population." This means that the heart rate-lowering effect of exercise can be offset if the exercise is excessively intense or prolonged.

They further explained, "Exercise optimizes metabolic efficiency, but excessive intensity may actually disrupt metabolic balance," and suggested, "The low resting heart rate of athletes may serve as a protective mechanism for improved metabolic efficiency."

Additionally, the team noted, "The relationship between exercise intensity and heart rate can vary depending on individual fitness, gender, and recovery ability," and emphasized, "In particular, since women have a longer average lifespan, further research on gender differences is needed."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.