Experts See Marathon Heart Risk

In 2006, six marathon runners died of heart attacks. One was 60, one 56, one 53, and three were in their early 40s. What’s up with that? Isn’t long distance running supposed to be good for our hearts?  The answer is yes and no, according to the New York Times, which directs our attention to a new study by Dr. Arthur Siegel and colleagues at Massachusetts General Hospital. Siegel did tests on 60 entrants from the 2004 and 2005 Boston Marathon, looking for abnormalities in heart rhythm and for blood markers of cardiac problems. The research showed that 20 minutes after finishing, 60 percent of the group had elevated levels or troponin, a protein whose presence may indicate some damage to the heart, and 40 percent had levels high enough to indicate the
destruction of heart muscle cells. Most also had noticeable changes in
heart rhythms. Those who had run less than 35 miles a week leading up
to the race had the highest troponin levels and the most pronounced
changes in heart rhythm. None of the runners felt ill, and the abnormalities disappeared within days. Read more in the New York Times.  Read about other health risks of marathon running.