More Exercise Isn't Always Better for Your Heart
High-Volume Physical Activity and Clinical Coronary Artery Disease Outcomes: Findings From the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
People who exercise a moderate amount have the least heart attacks, but those who exercise a lot don’t get fewer heart attacks — even though they live longer. Their hearts may have more calcium buildup, but that doesn’t mean more heart attacks.
Surprising Findings
High-volume exercisers had more coronary artery calcium, but no higher risk of heart attacks.
Common belief: more plaque = more heart attacks. This study shows that in athletes, calcium buildup is like 'scarring' from training—not necessarily dangerous.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for 500–3000 MET-minutes/week (e.g., 4–5 hours of brisk walking or 2–3 hours of running). Don’t feel pressured to train like an Olympian for heart health.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
People who exercise a moderate amount have the least heart attacks, but those who exercise a lot don’t get fewer heart attacks — even though they live longer. Their hearts may have more calcium buildup, but that doesn’t mean more heart attacks.
Surprising Findings
High-volume exercisers had more coronary artery calcium, but no higher risk of heart attacks.
Common belief: more plaque = more heart attacks. This study shows that in athletes, calcium buildup is like 'scarring' from training—not necessarily dangerous.
Practical Takeaways
Aim for 500–3000 MET-minutes/week (e.g., 4–5 hours of brisk walking or 2–3 hours of running). Don’t feel pressured to train like an Olympian for heart health.
Publication
Journal
Circulation
Year
2025
Authors
Jarett D Berry, Noor Zabad, Douglas Kyrouac, David Leonard, Carolyn E Barlow, A. Pavlovic, Kerem Shuval, Benjamin D Levine, L. DeFina
Related Content
Claims (9)
High-volume, high-intensity endurance exercise increases coronary artery plaque burden without increasing all-cause or cardiovascular mortality risk in otherwise healthy individuals.
Regular physical activity, regardless of its association with subclinical coronary plaque, is associated with a reduction in all-cause mortality.
People who exercise moderately—like jogging or cycling a few hours a week—have the lowest risk of heart attacks, but those who exercise way more than that don’t get any extra protection against heart events.
People who exercise a lot—like marathon runners—live longer than those who don’t, even though they don’t have fewer heart attacks. Exercise helps you live longer, but not necessarily by preventing heart attacks alone.
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.