Overview: The blood vessel age of male athletes who participate in endurance exercise is 10 years older than the age in chronological order. Female athletes showed no overall difference between vascular age and chronological age.
sauce: UCL
Older male athletes may be at higher risk of heart and cardiovascular disease than female athletes of the same age, according to a new study led by UCL researchers.
Presented at the British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) conference in Manchester, the study shows that the aorta of older male athletes is stiff.
It was found that male athletes showed an overall age difference, whereas aortic vascular age in male athletes was almost 10 years older than chronological age.
However, experts say the findings should not discourage people from exercising, as further research is needed to understand the biological reasons behind these differences. They also encouraged regular, moderate-intensity exercise to be beneficial to heart health.
Researchers at UCL, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital’s Baht Heart Center, and St. George’s Hospital have attended more than 10 endurance events and regularly exercised for at least 10 years with more than 300 masters athletes over the age of 40. I studied.
Half of the athletes were men and the other half were women. The cohort consisted primarily of long-distance runners, but also included cyclists, swimmers, and rowers.
A cardiac MRI scan was used to determine the stiffness of the athlete’s aorta, the largest artery in the human body that carries oxygen-rich blood from the heart to the rest of the body and the brain.
Researchers in this group have previously developed a method for calculating the age of blood vessels. It estimates the age of an artery based on the hardness of the artery. Stiff arteries increase the risk of heart and cardiovascular disease in non-athletes, such as heart attacks and strokes, but their cardiovascular health effects are unknown.
The team found that older male athletes had a stiff aorta, 9.6 years older on average than their chronological age. However, for female athletes, the vascular age of the aorta was about the same as the chronological age.
They also investigated the vascular age of different parts of the aorta. Researchers have found that there is the greatest difference in the descending aorta, which is the section of the aorta that runs through the chest. For male athletes, this was on average 15 years older than their chronological age. However, female athletes were on average 6 years younger.
Studies have not been able to determine why this is the case, but suggest that long-term endurance exercise may have different effects on men and women.
Dr. Rebecca Hughes (UCL Institute for Cardiovascular Sciences and Bartsheart Center), who led the study, said: “Since previous studies of long-term endurance exercise have focused primarily on men, few studies study the effects this has on women. Athletes.”
“According to our research, in Masters athletes, the male aorta is generally stiff and therefore older in blood vessels. However, in females, some areas of the aorta are more numerous than the chronological age. Being young, I got surprisingly opposite results. “
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“In non-athletes, aortic sclerosis is associated with heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Who is better because it is not yet fully understood how this finding applies to the potential risks of athletes. More work is needed to identify potential risks. “
Professor James Ryper, Associate Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation (BHF), said: Causes changes in the heart. “
“This new finding shows how this can affect major blood vessels in the body and how it differs between men and women.
“Further research is needed to identify the cause of muscle stiffness in male athletes, assess the potential effects of this on other areas of the cardiovascular system, and then draw complete conclusions.” “
“It’s important to note that exercise has been shown to help reduce the risk of heart and cardiovascular disease, control weight, and lower both blood pressure and cholesterol. Its benefits are potential. It’s far outweighed by risk, so general advice for continuing moderate-intensity exercise on a regular basis remains. “
About this exercise and cardiovascular health research news
author: Chris Lane
sauce: UCL
contact: Chris Lane – UCL
image: The image is in the public domain
Independent research: Findings will be presented at a conference of the British Cardiovascular Society
