If you have calcium in your heart arteries, you’re at higher risk for a heart attack—even if you’re a marathon runner. Exercise doesn’t make that calcium harmless.

People who exercise a ton tend to have more calcium in their heart arteries than couch potatoes—but surprisingly, they don’t have more heart attacks. The calcium buildup doesn’t mean they’re at higher risk.

Even if someone is a super-athlete, having calcium buildup in their heart arteries still means they’re at higher risk for a heart attack—exercise doesn’t cancel out this danger.

If you're an adult with early signs of heart disease but no symptoms yet, being very active can help you live longer and avoid heart problems — studies suggest it might delay death by over 30%.

Even if you’re super fit and exercise a lot, having calcium buildup in your heart arteries still means you’re at higher risk for a heart attack or needing a stent.

If an athlete has a high calcium score on a heart scan (over 100), doctors should treat them like someone with early heart disease — lower their bad cholesterol and test how their heart handles exercise.