Do Super Athletes Get More Heart Plaque?
Relationship Between Lifelong Exercise Volume and Coronary Atherosclerosis in Athletes
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Some very active men have more calcium buildup in their heart arteries, but the plaque is harder and less dangerous-looking than in less active men.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
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Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Some very active men have more calcium buildup in their heart arteries, but the plaque is harder and less dangerous-looking than in less active men.
No biological mechanisms were identified in this study. This may be an epidemiological, observational, or survey-based study that reports associations rather than proposing causal biological pathways.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Max 100Randomized Controlled Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional Studies
Max 44Case Reports & Case Series
Max 30Expert Opinion & Narrative Reviews
Max 546 / 44
Evidence Score
A snapshot of a population at a single point in time. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine the direction of cause and effect.
Publication
Authors
Aengevaeren VL, Mosterd A, Braber TL, Prakken NHJ, Doevendans PA, Grobbee DE, Thompson PD, Eijsvogels TMH, Velthuis BK
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Claims (6)
Chronic high-volume endurance exercise is associated with the development of calcified coronary artery plaque, which is biomechanically more stable and less prone to rupture than non-calcified or mixed plaque.
Even if super-active athletes have more plaque, the amount of calcium in each spot, how big it is, and where it’s located doesn’t get worse the more they’ve exercised.
Men who have exercised very intensely and for many years are more likely to have calcium deposits and plaque in their heart arteries than those who exercised less, even though they tend to live longer.
Doing very hard exercise — like sprinting or intense cycling — is linked to more calcium buildup and plaque in the heart arteries, even if the total amount of exercise is the same as someone who exercises less intensely.
Even though elite athletes have more plaque in their hearts, the type of plaque they have is harder and less likely to rupture — which might be why they live longer than you’d expect.