People with overweight leading a sedentary lifestyle. But some training athletes who want to get results too quickly, gym can do harm rather than benefit.

Diet

The first thing to remember is that any diet is a harmonious balance of nutrients. What does it mean? When losing weight, you do not need to completely eliminate carbohydrates and fats. When gaining mass, do not forget about fiber, plenty of water and vegetable oils. A balanced diet, rather than a simple calorie cut, distinguishes a healthy athlete from a person who is detrimental to their health.

The first place to start with dietary restrictions is to reduce your intake of trans fats. It is them, and not, say, the beneficial lipids found in nuts, olives, flax or sunflower seeds.

Why are trans fats so bad? They increase the level of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), which transport "bad" cholesterol into the bloodstream, which leads to an increased risk of atherosclerosis. The second good reason to avoid trans fats is that eating trans fats significantly increases your risk of diabetes.

At the other extreme is the high-protein, high-fat trending diet. If your body traditionally uses fats as fuel and you digest fatty foods better than carbohydrates, no problem. Otherwise, too much fat in the diet (over 50% daily calorie content), even if beneficial, lead to a decrease in the production of nitric oxide, which, in turn, leads to problems with blood pressure.

Balance your diet based on age, exercise, body weight, and goals.

On average, the diet of athletes should consist of 35–40% proteins with a complete amino acid profile, 25–30% of healthy fats and 30–40% of complex carbohydrates. Moreover, the given values ​​vary in each individual case.

Physical activity

It would seem that physical activity cannot harm the heart, but, on the contrary, will only turn it into a powerful blood pump. This is true, but with some caveats. According to research by the American College of Sports Medicine, to maintain a healthy heart, it is enough to spend 150 minutes a week in moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes a week in high-intensity training.

Those who play sports professionally are automatically at risk: if you train for more than one hour three times a week, you need to set aside a separate day, completely dedicated to cardio loads.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings cites research that claims abuse intense training has a detrimental effect on the condition of the heart. This is why doing CrossFit daily or doing weightlifting at a high heart rate is more harmful than beneficial all the time.

The loads must be alternated. Even if now 3-5 hard strength training per week or regular overcoming ultramarathon distances seems to be effective, after a few years of work at this pace, the body's reserves will come to an end.

Dilute several consecutive strength workouts with cardio, and vice versa. Above all, don't be afraid to try new disciplines throughout the year or in the off-season if you are a competing athlete.

Visit to the doctor

Do not be afraid of doctors. Cardiologists are not dentists with drills from the 1980s. Get tested, do cardiograms, check your blood for hemoglobin and hormone levels - nothing is more important than preventing cardiovascular diseases. Fortunately, most of them can be prevented in time, and a well-designed course physical exercise will allow you to live a full life even with congenital pathologies such as mitral valve prolapse.

Set your standard blood pressure(the once ubiquitous "cosmonaut pressure" of 120 to 80 may be the absolute norm for some or a sign of early hypertension for others), then measure it every day, remembering to monitor the pulse. Take such control measurements in a course of one to two weeks every three to four months in order to better study your body and understand how your condition has changed. of cardio-vascular system for the specified period of time.

Keep track of what appears on your plate, how you feel after exercise and what the blood pressure monitor and heart rate monitor readings say about your condition. Preventing illness is always easier than curing it.

Athlete's heart: the impact of training on the myocardium

Regular training entails irreversible changes in the heart!

Doctors have already carried out a lot of studies, in which the following were the "test subjects": strength athletes, weightlifters and bodybuilders, as well as track and field athletes - runners, tennis players, swimmers, etc. When studying their cardiovascular system, attention was drawn to the fact that the heart of people exposed to physical activity begins to morphologically and functionally differ from the heart of ordinary people.

Doing sports at the level of professionals is unequivocally recognized by doctors and scientists as unfavorable to health, because athletes training for the sake of records have to overcome such serious loads that everyone else could not dream of.

Story professional sports saved many cases when famous athletes dying in front of everyone, it is not clear from what. Only later was it established that the cause of death was a heart disease, which had gone on in secret until that moment. That is why doctors are opposed to professional sports, and recommend relatively small loads for recovery, amounting to 30-40% of the maximum.

So, there are two main conditions that occur in the heart muscle during training:

1. in athletes-athletes, the expansion of the cavity of the left ventricle and hypertrophy of its wall are often revealed (externally, this is manifested by bradycardia at rest);
2. in weightlifters and powerlifters who experience predominantly low-dynamic and static loads (especially accompanied by a delay in expiration during maximum stress), the heart changes pathologically over time - the left ventricle increases in size, and its contractility decreases.

The force of myocardial contraction changes according to the Frank-Starling law. This law states: “The more the muscle is stretched before the contraction, the more intensive its subsequent contraction”. However, if the myocardium of the left ventricle is subjected to strong blood pressure (after all, with statically contracted muscles, it is more difficult for the heart to push blood into them, therefore, more of it remains in the cavities of the ventricles) systematically, it gradually loses its ability to contract sufficiently strong - blood stagnates in the cavities of the heart, which further aggravates the situation.

Physiology distinguishes two main types of muscle contractions:

1. Dynamic - During dynamic loads the length muscle fiber varies over a wide range.
2. Static - During static loads, the length of the muscle fiber practically does not change.

So, powerlifting, weightlifting and (to some extent) bodybuilding are characterized by a predominance of static loads, while Athletics- dynamic. At the same time, the blood flow in the muscle tissue increases several times, the blood does not stagnate in the periphery, but quickly returns through the venous system back to the heart - this is facilitated by the pressure of periodically contracting muscles on the vascular wall. A "second heart" appears, helping the first (and main) to carry out its function.

With frequent static loads during exercise power sports due to prolonged constant muscle tension during exercise, the arteries and veins in them expand, therefore, the heart needs to make more efforts to push blood through the vessels.

Also, many strength athletes have arterial hypertension of varying degrees - this is another consequence of constant and extreme static loads.

A very dangerous moment is the abrupt cessation of sports. As soon as you give up training, the process of weakening all muscles begins, including the muscles of the heart. This can also provoke the development of heart failure.

conclusions

• Don't exercise too often with extreme weights.
• Alternate between "hard" and "light" workouts.
• Combine strength training and aerobic exercise.
• Do not quit playing sports at the same time - if there is such a need, then do it by gradually reducing the load, for example, within a month.

Mar 22, 2017 Olga

Strength training has a great influence on the work of the cardiovascular system. However, the opinions of doctors differ in many respects. So, many argue that it is bodybuilding that has a negative effect on the work of the heart. Firstly, this is due to heavy loads, secondly, myocardial hypertrophy without vascularization, and thirdly, constantly increased arterial blood pressure leads to the development of heart failure.

At the same time, there is a different opinion. Modern research proves that bodybuilding only has a positive effect on the work of the heart. But in any case, it is necessary for everyone, and especially for athletes, to carry out prevention and strengthen the heart. Today we will look at drugs that strengthen the heart of bodybuilders.

To begin with, not everyone can do bodybuilding. To the number of athletes who are contraindicated power loads, include people with high blood pressure, heart failure, aneurysm, myocarditis, arrhythmia and tachycardia. In addition, if a person has coarctation of the aorta, mitral valve prolapse, or valve insufficiency with regurgitation, then power loads are also contraindicated.

However, there are times when absolutely healthy bodybuilders begin to notice that their frequency is increasing, interruptions in work and heart and pain in the heart area begin. This suggests that the first signs of pathological changes in the heart are observed. In such cases, you must immediately consult a doctor for a diagnosis. Remember that any disease, especially heart disease, is easier to prevent and prevent than to cure.

Preparations for strengthening the heart of bodybuilders.

• Riboxin. Thanks to this remedy, the supply of oxygen to the heart is enhanced. Riboxin also needs to improve blood supply, normalize heart rhythm and strengthen the myocardium. For athletes, this cardiovascular agent will also be useful because it enhances protein synthesis in muscles and has a positive effect on energy processes in the heart. Riboxin should be taken from 1 to 4 months 3-4 times a day before meals;

• Trimetazidine is better known as Preductal, but this brand name is more expensive. This drug is essential to protect the heart, normalize the metabolism of the heart, and improve cardiac nutrition at the cellular level. Consume 35 mg for 15-30 days with meals 2 times a day;

• Asparkam is a drug that is based on a combination of magnesium and potassium. Pretty popular with bodybuilders. Askarkam is used to reduce heart contractions, eliminate seizures, and reduce the manifestation of arrhythmias. As an additional action, the work of the gastrointestinal tract is improved. It is necessary to drink a course, taking Asparkam 3 times a day after meals for 1 month;

• The most popular and widest class of adrenergic agonists are beta-blockers. The most effective are Bisoprolol and Metoprolol. They help eliminate overload, lower blood pressure, and normalize the pulse so that it does not exceed the physiological norm. With anabolic steroids or anabolic steroids, the load on the heart increases, which causes myocardial hypertrophy. Beta blockers can help prevent this. Bodybuilders note that after the regular use of beta-blockers, the heart rate is normalized and the overall well-being improves. It also increases life expectancy by reducing the risk of some of the most common heart diseases. However, this drug is not recommended for use without a doctor's recommendation, so be sure to consult a specialist, as there are contraindications.

There are also herbal preparations for strengthening the heart, which are prescribed to athletes for prevention and treatment.

Hawthorn reduces the heart rate, increases coronary blood flow, dilates the vessels of the brain and heart. Heart strength also increases. Hawthorn extract for bodybuilders is also useful in that it normalizes sleep, relieves nervous excitement and lowers blood cholesterol levels.

Rhodiola rosea is the most effective herbal remedy for improving heart function. This plant adaptogen improves heart contractility. have a tonic effect on the entire body as a whole, regular intake of herbal tea from rhodiola has a positive effect on the size of cellular mitochondria, which are necessary for oxygen respiration of cells.

Leuzea safflower- a drug necessary to normalize the work of the heart, dilate blood vessels and increase the lumen of the bloodstream. In addition, it can help reduce your heart rate.

Vitamins and nutritional supplements to strengthen the heart.

As a preventive measure, you should always take vitamins, minerals, omega-3 and L-carnitine. These food additives have a positive effect on the work of the heart muscle, help the body to cope with pathological processes and ailments.

For correct work the heart needs to remove harmful cholesterol, toxins and toxins. To do this, you need to take antioxidants and the required amount of vitamins, as well as magnesium, calcium, potassium and selenium. The strongest antioxidant is vitamin C. Of course, Special attention should pay attention to the diet - can be read on our website. However, vitamin complexes are also necessary, because in bodybuilders it is higher than usual.

It is also essential for heart health, protecting the body from free radicals, preventing atherosclerosis, and lowering blood viscosity. Another vitamin useful for the heart is vitamin A. It strengthens the walls of blood vessels and promotes the elimination of cholesterol. Vitamins of group B (B3, B5, B6) prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Don't forget about minerals. For example, magnesium normalizes blood pressure and prevents blood clots from forming. Potassium is essential for building cell walls, as well as increasing endurance and lowering blood pressure.

• Monitor your diet. It should be varied. Try to eliminate foods that contain bad cholesterol. Include fresh fruits, vegetables, cereals, nuts, liver, dried fruits in the diet;
• Stop smoking and drinking alcohol. This will help you avoid increasing your heart's oxygen consumption and reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in your body.
• Move as much as possible, play sports, swim. It is also necessary to get rid of excess weight;
• Drink 2-3 liters of liquid a day. Best of all, it should be plain water, green tea, fruit drinks. This will help you avoid dehydration and blood clots;
• Forget stress. Lingering depression or something that makes the heart work harder, which increases the risk of a heart attack by 3 times.

Video

Strength training has a great influence on the work of the cardiovascular system. However, the opinions of doctors differ in many respects. So, many argue that it is bodybuilding that has a negative effect on the work of the heart. Firstly, this is due to heavy loads, secondly, myocardial hypertrophy without vascularization, and thirdly, constantly high blood pressure in athletes after physical exertion leads to the development of heart failure.

At the same time, there is a different opinion. Modern research proves that bodybuilding only has a positive effect on the work of the heart. But in any case, it is necessary for everyone, and especially for athletes, to carry out prevention and strengthen the heart. Today we will look at drugs that strengthen the heart of bodybuilders.

Contraindications to strength training Preparations Herbal preparations Vitamins and nutritional supplements Recommendations for strengthening and protecting the heart

To begin with, not everyone can do bodybuilding. The number of athletes who are contraindicated in power loads include people with high blood pressure, heart failure, aneurysm, myocarditis, arrhythmia and tachycardia. In addition, if a person has coarctation of the aorta, mitral valve prolapse, or valve insufficiency with regurgitation, then power loads are also contraindicated.

However, there are times when perfectly healthy bodybuilders begin to notice that their normal heart rate is increasing, interruptions in work and heart and pain in the heart area begin. This suggests that the first signs of pathological changes in the heart are observed. In such cases, you must immediately consult a doctor for a diagnosis. Remember that any disease, especially heart disease, is easier to prevent and prevent than to cure.

Preparations for strengthening the heart of bodybuilders.

Riboxin. Thanks to this remedy, the supply of oxygen to the heart is enhanced. Riboxin also needs to improve blood supply, normalize heart rhythm and strengthen the myocardium. For athletes, this cardiovascular agent will also be useful because it enhances protein synthesis in muscles and has a positive effect on energy processes in the heart. Riboxin should be taken from 1 to 4 months 3-4 times a day before meals;

Trimetazidine is better known as Preductal, but this brand name is more expensive. This drug is essential to protect the heart, normalize the metabolism of the heart, and improve cardiac nutrition at the cellular level. Consume 35 mg for 15-30 days with meals 2 times a day;

Asparkam is a drug that is based on a combination of magnesium and potassium. Pretty popular with bodybuilders. Askarkam is used to reduce heart contractions, eliminate seizures, and reduce the manifestation of arrhythmias. As an additional action, the work of the gastrointestinal tract is improved. It is necessary to drink a course, taking Asparkam 3 times a day after meals for 1 month;

The most popular and widest class of adrenergic agonists are beta-blockers. The most effective are Bisoprolol and Metoprolol. They help eliminate overload, lower blood pressure, and normalize the pulse so that it does not exceed the physiological norm. When using fat burners or anabolic steroids, the load on the heart increases, which causes myocardial hypertrophy. Beta blockers can help prevent this. Bodybuilders note that after the regular use of beta-blockers, the heart rate is normalized and the overall well-being improves. It also increases life expectancy by reducing the risk of some of the most common heart diseases. However, this drug is not recommended for use without a doctor's recommendation, so be sure to consult a specialist, as there are contraindications.

There are also herbal preparations for strengthening the heart, which are prescribed to athletes for prevention and treatment.

Hawthorn reduces the heart rate, increases coronary blood flow, dilates the vessels of the brain and heart. Heart strength also increases. Hawthorn extract for bodybuilders is also useful in that it normalizes sleep, relieves nervous excitement and lowers blood cholesterol levels.

Rhodiola rosea is the most effective herbal remedy for improving heart function. This plant adaptogen improves heart contractility. The healing properties of Rhodiola rosea have a tonic effect on the entire body as a whole, regular intake of herbal tea from Rhodiola has a positive effect on the size of cellular mitochondria, which are necessary for oxygen respiration of cells.

Safflower Leuzea is a drug necessary to normalize the work of the heart, dilate blood vessels and increase the lumen of the bloodstream. In addition, it can help reduce your heart rate.

Vitamins and nutritional supplements to strengthen the heart.

As a preventive measure, you should always take vitamins, minerals, omega-3 and L-carnitine. These food additives have a positive effect on the work of the heart muscle, help the body to cope with pathological processes and ailments.

For the heart to function properly, it is necessary to remove harmful cholesterol, toxins and toxins. To do this, you need to take antioxidants and the required amount of vitamins, as well as magnesium, calcium, potassium and selenium. The strongest antioxidant is vitamin C. Of course, special attention should be paid to the diet - how to eat for a bodybuilder, you can read on our website. However, vitamin complexes are also necessary, because the daily intake of vitamins and minerals in bodybuilders is higher than usual.

In addition, for heart health, protecting the body from free radicals, preventing atherosclerosis and lowering blood viscosity, it is necessary to drink vitamin E. Another vitamin useful for the heart is vitamin A. It strengthens the walls of blood vessels and promotes the elimination of cholesterol. Vitamins of group B (B3, B5, B6) prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Don't forget about minerals. For example, magnesium normalizes blood pressure and prevents blood clots from forming. Potassium is essential for building cell walls, as well as increasing endurance and lowering blood pressure.

Monitor your diet. It should be varied. Try to eliminate foods that contain bad cholesterol. Include fresh fruits, vegetables, cereals, nuts, liver, dried fruits in the diet; Stop smoking and drinking alcohol. This will help you avoid increasing your heart's oxygen consumption and reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in your body. Move as much as possible, play sports, swim. It is also necessary to get rid of excess weight; Drink 2-3 liters of liquid a day. Best of all, it should be plain water, green tea, fruit drinks. This will help you avoid dehydration and blood clots; Forget stress. Prolonged depression or chronic stress is dangerous because it makes the heart work harder, which increases the risk of a heart attack by 3 times.

The lifestyle of a person directly affects the state of his health. To maintain physiological processes in the body and ensure normal metabolism, vitamins are needed. All people need them, but in higher concentrations they are needed by athletes.

When and for what purpose vitamins for the heart are prescribed to athletes

Vitamins and trace elements will help you quickly recuperate after physical exertion

When exercising at a gentle pace, the heart beats about 140-150 times per minute. When running or exercising with weights, the contraction rate increases to 175 beats. Training for athletes takes a long time and often, so the heart needs to be supported with special vitamins.

After sports training in athletes, the indicators of the cardiovascular system return to normal, which cannot be said about an untrained person. Due to heavy exertion, he feels a rapid heartbeat.

In athletes, with constant physical exertion, the heart valve is overloaded, therefore there is a risk of developing arrhythmias and premature wear of the vessel walls. For this purpose, special vitamin and mineral complexes are prescribed to maintain the normal functioning of the heart muscle.

In addition, people experiencing great stress on the body need a large intake of vitamins.

They help you achieve specific physical goals. Vitamins improve performance indicators, increase overall muscle tone. In case of physical overload, so that the body can quickly recover, professional athletes use vitamins in injections. Already after 20-30 minutes, the effect of the drug appears. As a result, the athlete can return to training, while the recovery time is reduced.

It is very important for athletes to choose vitamins that stimulate heart activity. In addition, in addition to vitamin complexes, athletes should receive useful substances along with food. The diet of many athletes is thought out as much as possible. The necessary vitamins will not only strengthen the heart muscle, but also provide the body with useful substances.

Useful vitamins and minerals for the heart

Strengthening the heart with sports and vitamins

Every day we eat food that contains various vitamins and minerals. Many of them are not assimilated in the body: some of them lose their qualities during heat treatment, and the other part is lost during absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, you have to take vitamin and mineral complexes. What vitamins does the heart need for normal functioning?

The main beneficial vitamins for heart function:

Vitamin A. Performs various functions in the body, namely: regulates the activity of the heart muscle, lowers cholesterol and maintains the condition of blood vessels. Vitamin C. It is a powerful antioxidant that has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, strengthens the myocardium, and lowers blood cholesterol levels. B vitamins. Of all the B vitamins, the following are especially useful for the heart: B1, B5, B3, B6. They help restore the rhythm of the heart, provide vascular tone, and prevent blood clots. Vitamin E. This antioxidant controls the redox processes in the body. Normalizes heart rate, increases the elasticity and elasticity of the walls of blood vessels. In addition, this vitamin prevents the formation of blood clots against the background of a decrease in blood viscosity. Vitamin F. Improves blood circulation, acts as a cardioprotector, prevents the development of atherosclerosis and weakens inflammatory processes in the body. Vitamin R. Rutin belongs to the class of flavonoids. In combination with vitamin C, it reduces bleeding and vascular permeability, prevents capillary fragility. The vitamin-like substance coenzyme Q10 has a beneficial effect on the heart. It is a fat-soluble substance that has powerful antioxidant effects. Concentrates in large quantities in the liver and heart.

More information about which foods are good for the heart can be found in the video:

To ensure the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system, a sufficient amount of minerals and trace elements must be present in the human body: potassium, magnesium, selenium, zinc. These are the main beneficial trace elements that ensure the smooth functioning of the heart of any person.

Potassium normalizes blood pressure and performance nervous system, and magnesium reduces the risk of developing tachycardia and strengthens the muscle tissue of the heart. Selenium and zinc help absorb other nutrients and prevent free radicals from destroying heart tissue. A sufficient intake of these vitamins will ensure the normal functioning of the heart muscle.

Vitamin complexes: an overview of drugs

Vitamin tablets - quick help for the heart

To maintain the tone of the heart muscle, strengthen the walls of blood vessels, it is recommended to take vitamin and mineral complexes. The lack of certain microelements in the body can be replenished with the help of vitamin complexes. They can be taken not only for prophylaxis, but also as part of combination therapy.

Popular vitamin complexes for the heart:

Vitrum Cardio Omega 3. It is a lipid-lowering agent. Reduces triglyceride and blood cholesterol levels. The constituent components are polyunsaturated fatty acids that support the cardiovascular system. This complex contains vitamins A, C, E, as well as zinc and grape cake extract. Antiox prevents the development of heart disease, improves microcirculation in the blood. Due to the high content of vitamin A, the drug should not be taken for a long time, otherwise hypervitaminosis may occur. Will direct. It is a multivitamin complex that works to restore the heart muscle and improve its contraction. When biologically active substances enter the body, the risk of developing atherosclerosis and other cardiac pathologies decreases. Ascorutin. Combined medicine that strengthens the walls of blood vessels. It contains 2 components: ascorbic acid and rutin. The tool accelerates tissue regeneration, normalizes carbohydrate metabolism and increases the protective functions of the body. Cardiohels. The dietary supplement supplies the body with folic acid, retinol, ascorbic acid, zinc, selenium and other useful components. This complex of vitamins normalizes blood circulation, restores heart rate and lowers cholesterol levels.

Before using vitamin and mineral complexes, it is necessary to consult with a cardiologist. Some drugs have contraindications.

Proper nutrition for the heart

We strengthen the heart with healthy products!

Healthy foods for the heart should be present in the diet of any person. These include: fish, pomegranate, spinach, broccoli, pumpkin, legumes, avocado, etc.

By using certain types of foods, you can restore the normal activity of the heart muscle and strengthen the blood vessels:

V different types fish contain omega-3 fatty acids. They can be found in flaxseed oil. They are much healthier than the saturated fat found in meat. Eating fish regularly reduces the likelihood of developing heart attacks. Avocado and walnuts rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids... With sufficient consumption of them in food, the level of cholesterol in the blood decreases. Broccoli contains coenzyme Q10 to help withstand high energy stress. Spinach contains vitamin B9, which strengthens the cardiovascular system and helps restore lost performance. From berries and fruits useful: barberry, grapes, cherries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, chokeberry, apples, pomegranates, etc. They strengthen the immune system, the walls of blood vessels, and also improve the cardiovascular system.

The listed products should always be included in the daily menu.

The heart muscle works every day and in modern conditions it is hard for it. To strengthen the heart muscle and minimize the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, you should adhere to the following recommendations:

Eat regularly and properly. The diet should contain only healthy food with a lot of fiber. Once a week, do a contrast shower. Regularly take measures to temper the body. You can douse yourself with water in the morning or keep your feet in cold water... Sleep at least 9 hours a day. Full rest - important element not only in strengthening the cardiovascular system, but also immune system... Physical activity should be regular. Overtraining should be avoided. Measure blood pressure and cholesterol levels. It should be remembered that smoking and drinking alcohol adversely affect the work of the heart muscle, and reduce strength indicators.

If you constantly adhere to the above tips, you can ensure the normal functioning of the heart, strengthen the immune system and improve blood circulation.

Have you noticed a mistake? Select it and press Ctrl + Enter to tell us.

Physical activity helps to strengthen the heart, has a beneficial effect on its work and endurance. Moreover, it is hypodynamia - the lack of adequate physical activity - that is one of the risk factors for the development of heart and vascular diseases. At the same time, everyone is well aware that professional athletes are frequent patients of cardiologists. How does sport actually change the heart and where is the acceptable line, the MedAboutMe portal sorted out.

Benefits of sports for heart health

The heart pumps blood throughout the body, which, in particular, delivers the necessary oxygen to the organs and tissues. In the event that the myocardium does not work enough, the body may experience hypoxia - a dangerous condition not only for its symptoms (shortness of breath, weakness, etc.), but posing a direct threat to human health and life. Patients with heart failure find it difficult to withstand even minimal physical activity, such as climbing stairs. At some point, they can cause collapse - a critical drop in blood pressure with possible death.

Sport avoids such dangerous conditions. For any physical activity The oxygen demand of the muscles increases, which means that the heart begins to work harder in order to be able to pump more blood. Thus, the myocardium trains, gets used to possible increased loads and quickly returns after them to normal operation. A trained person is not afraid of even sharp loads, because his heart is able to quickly rebuild (change the rhythm) without any damage.

In addition, an increase in the intensity of the heart's work activates metabolic processes, and this allows the myocardium, blood vessels and the blood itself to recover and renew more easily. In particular, the level of "bad" cholesterol in the blood decreases, which causes atherosclerosis - the main cause of coronary heart disease with subsequent myocardial infarction.

Despite all the benefits of physical activity for CVS, sports can still be a prerequisite for serious disorders in the work of the heart. And this is due to how exactly the myocardium is modified, responding to constant loads.

Most often, athletes are diagnosed with the following conditions:

• Dilation of the left atrium - an increase in the volume of the heart chamber.

Due to the fact that the myocardium during training is forced to pump large volumes of blood, the muscle begins not only to contract more intensively, but also to stretch, because in this way it can capture a larger volume of blood at a time. Dilation can be eliminated if the athlete reduces training intensity. However, if the left atrium is stretched for a long time, fibrous tissue degeneration occurs. First, the myocardium can no longer completely relax, which affects its work. Secondly, the distended parts of the heart stop pumping blood efficiently. As a result, heart failure develops, which can lead to cardiac arrest.

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a change and thickening of the walls of the left (less often right) ventricle of the heart.

Although the causes of the development of the disease have not been identified until the end, nevertheless, such a pathology is often diagnosed in people who train intensively. Moreover, it is this diagnosis that is the most common cause of sudden death from cardiac arrest in young athletes during training.

• Bradycardia - decreasing frequency heart rate.

Normally, a healthy person has a pulse rate of 60-80 beats per minute. If the heart beats less than 60 times per minute, this, against the background of other CVD diseases, can lead to a serious deterioration in health and even disability. But if the heart constantly receives loads, which means that it begins to pump blood more efficiently in one contraction, at rest the pulse in a healthy person can be 35-40 beats per minute. Therefore, cardiologists distinguish bradycardia in athletes - a condition that is the norm and does not affect health. Moreover, such bradycardia makes the work of the heart more economical.

• Fitness hypotension (low blood pressure) is an adaptive response to constant physical activity.

A decrease in blood pressure is associated with an increased load on blood vessels due to increased blood flow. The arteries of a trained person are larger in diameter, which means that at rest, with average oxygen requirements, the blood will pass through them with less intensity - the pressure will be lowered. In addition, during training, the body activates systems aimed at lowering blood pressure. This mechanism can be considered compensatory - exercise stress increases the need for oxygen, puts stress on the heart and thus increases blood pressure. And the body compensates for these jumps with a response. Fitness hypotension accounts for 32.2% of all hypotension in athletes.

Why can sports affect the work of the heart so differently? Why, in some cases, it prolongs its work, and in others - leads to the development of pathologies? The main reason for this different effect is the choice of training intensity. And it is easiest to calculate it by increasing the heart rate (HR), because it depends on this how forcefully the blood is pumped.

In order to calculate the permissible boundaries, you can use the following scheme: a number equal to the number of full years is subtracted from 220. The resulting value is the maximum heart rate (MHR). Workouts are divided into:

• Warm-up, load for people with CVD diseases - 50-60% of the maximum.
• Aerobic load, acceptable training for a healthy person who wants to support the heart - 60-75%.
• Anaerobic load, training that can lead to myocardial pathologies - 75-90%.
• Dangerous load, risk of death - 90-100%.

It should be understood that such calculations are very individual and depend on other factors. For example, for a trained athlete whose heart is accustomed to enduring heavy loads, even the maximum heart rate for a short time may not pose a danger. But for a hypertensive person, exercises in "safe" values ​​of aerobic loads can cause a significant deterioration in their condition.

There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a workout intensity. If they are, it is better to give preference to lighter loads.

• Excess weight.

Excess body weight in itself puts an increased burden on the heart, since it must supply more tissues with blood. In the event that the myocardium is not trained, but is under such a load, intense fitness can harm the heart.

• Diseases of the cardiovascular system.

The danger is that many of them are asymptomatic in the early stages - the person is not even aware of their presence. Therefore, before signing up for sports, it is necessary to undergo a cardiological examination.

• Smoking, alcohol, fatty foods, overeating.

All this gives an increased load on the heart, so it is better to give up bad habits - they are incompatible with sports.

• Stress.

Emotional stress, just like physical stress, raises the heart rate. Therefore, in this state, it is best to start training with relaxing exercises, and proceed to intensive exercises only after the normalization of the heart rate.

If increased loads for untrained muscles end up with sore throat (delayed muscle pain), then the heart can react with various malfunctions - cardiac arrhythmias, increased blood pressure, and so on.

Therefore, for training the heart, the systematicity of the loads is more important, and not their maximum possible intensity. To a healthy person workouts 3-4 times a week are suitable if an aerobic load is selected (60-75% of the MHR), and with minimum load(less than 60% of the MHR) can be exercised daily.