Heart health alert: The unseen dangers of extreme physical activity

Heart health is very important. Many people lose their lives due to cardiac problems. While many say that a sedentary and faulty lifestyle results in poor heart health, others argue that excessive exercise also damages the heart. We see a lot of people running marathons, training in the gym, going for strenuous treks and engaging in different exercise practices. But is so much exertion good for you? Or can too much exercise actually cause harm to you and your heart? Let’s find out in the article below.

Relationship between exercise and heart health

There is no denying the fact that exercising is good for you. When you exercise regularly, your weight is kept in check. Your blood pressure levels are also moderated and the blood circulation improves. All these factors are crucial to keep you fit and improve the health of your heart as well.

But what happens when you over-exercise? Of late, many cases have been reported where exercise and heart attacks are connected. You need to find a balance and exercise moderately. Overdoing it can cause severe stress on your cardiac muscles and may even lead to cardiac arrest.

The dangers of extreme physical activity

As stated, over-exercising can hurt your body. Here are some ways in which you may be affected:

Effect on the heart

• Atrial fibrillation - This is a serious heart condition where the heart rate goes up extremely high. It can lead to blood clots and irregular heartbeats, all of which can cause heart failure. When you exercise too much, you are at an increased risk of atrial fibrillation.

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - Here, the muscles and the walls of the heart begin to thicken. This happens due to various reasons, including extreme physical activities over time. You need to slow down and cut back on your exercises if you are at risk of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

• Coronary heart disease - Excessive physical stress can also increase the risk of coronary heart disease where the blood supply to the heart is blocked, leading to an arrest. This is one of the most common ways in which cardiac arrest and exercise are connected.

Effect on the kidneys

Apart from your heart, your kidneys also suffer when there is severe physical activity. Severe physical stress can lead to a condition called rhabdomyolysis. This leads to an excessive dumping of toxins and waste products in the kidneys. With this, the kidney begins to malfunction and you may experience renal failure over a period of time.

A word of caution

Exercising is a wonderful habit and you must embrace it. However, learn to find a balance between exercising and exercising too much. As you saw, over-exertion has some dangerous consequences, so be alert and do only as much as needed. Also, invest in a good health insurance policy from a leading insurer like Zurich Kotak General Insurance to keep yourself covered. The best health insurance plans offer comprehensive cardiac coverage and this keeps you and your heart protected.

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