Exercise Can Reverse Damage From Heart Aging

Exercise if begun on time and done enough can reverse damage to sedentary aging hearts and help to prevent risk of future heart failure according to cardiologists at Texas Health Resources and UT Southwestern.

To gain the most benefit of the exercise regimen it should begin before the age of 65 when the heart retains some plasticity and still has the ability to remodel itself according to the finding by the researchers. The exercise needs to be performed at minimum of 4 to 5 times a week, any less was found not to be enough, based on a series of studies that were conducted over a period of 5 years.

The regimen that was conducted by the participants 4 to 5 times per week in 30 minute sessions, plus a warm up and cool down consisted of:

-Once weekly a 30 minute high intensity workout such as aerobic interval sessions in which the heart rate tops 95% of the peak rate for 4 minutes with a recovery period of 3 minutes, repeated 4 times.

-Each interval session followed by a recovery session at a relatively low intensity.

-Each daily session lasting an hour of moderate intensity such as dancing, tennis, biking, or walking.

-One or two sessions per week at moderate intensity breaking a sweat, and becoming a little short on breath. Each session was individually prescribed based on heart rate monitoring and exercise tests.

-One or two weekly strength training sessions involving the use of weights or exercise machines on separate days or after and endurance session.

50 participants between the ages of 45 to 64 were involved in this study that were put into 2 groups, one groups receiving 2 years of yoga and balance train as a control group, and the other 2 years of supervised training and exercise. At the conclusion of 2 year study period the participants that had exercised showed an improvement of 18% in maximum oxygen intake and more than 25% improvement in elasticity, or compliance in the left ventricular muscle in the heart. Improvements were shown in the younger participants after one year, little change was shown in the participants over the age of 65.

Stiffening of the muscle in the left ventricle can occur in the heart with sedentary aging. When it stiffens high blood pressure and the chamber not filling as well with blood are as result, when most severe blood can back up into the lungs, that is when heart failure develops. Previous research has shown that the stiffening appears in middle aged people who are not fit and don’t exercise, promoting stiff small chambers that don’t pump blood well. It was found that the heart chambers in athletes remains elastic and large, decades of committed exercise done four to five days a week is enough for nonathletes to reap this benefit.