TORONTO – Just in time for marathon season, a U.S. study shows that marathon training may improve heart health, even for recreational runners.
The popularity of marathon running has risen steadily in the past decade. With the Toronto Marathon and Vancouver Sun Run just weeks away, runners across Canada are entering the last few weeks of their marathon training.
Researchers in the U.S. studied the impact marathon training has on cardiorespiratory health, especially amongst non-elite runners, an area they said little is known about.
Researchers studied a group of 45 male runners between the ages of 35 and 65, all of them recreational runners.
The study focused on middle-aged, non-elite male runners because previous studies have indicated this group as being at the highest risk for heart attacks during marathon running.
Study researchers also wanted to focus on the “average Joe” runner who decides to train for a marathon, rather than professional marathoners.
While the participants “turned out to be a healthier population than we expected with a lot of them already exercising on a pretty regular basis…they were still nowhere near the levels of elite runners,” said lead investigator Jodi L. Zilinski, M.D., at Massachusetts General Hospital.
The participants were put on an 18-week training program, which included tips on nutrition, pacing, race preparation, as well as access to group runs, endurance training and cross-training facilities.
At the end of the 18-week program, researchers noted significant changes in cardiovascular health, including: reduced levels of “bad” cholesterol (that is low-density lipoprotein or LDL), total cholesterol levels and triglycerides dropped, and there was a reduction in body mass index (BMI). They also noted an increase in peak oxygen consumption (a marker of cardiorespiratory fitness).
“Overall, participants experienced cardiac remodelling – improvements in the size, shape, structure and function of the heart,” Zilinski said.
The study findings highlight the potential for regular exercise to improve heart health and reduce the risk factors for heart disease, said Zilinski, but added that people wanting to start a marathon training program should check with their doctor first.
Researchers also said that because the study focused on a particular section of the population, the results may not apply to others, including female runners or elite athletes.
The research was presented this week at the American College of Cardiology’s 63rd annual scientific expo, ACC.14.
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