Bodybuilders Heart bad, cyclist good???

[TheSentinal]

Here is a news story from CNN onlne about how Tour de France cyclists have enlarged hearts because they are such well trained athletes. Nothing in the story gives the impression that their condition is a problem. They have thickening walls of the heart to push more blood. So its good to have a "special" heart when you are an athlete.

Here it is: http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/condi....ap/index.html

But if this was a story about bodybuilders, then the story would be littered with the usual doom and gloom. Suddenly an enlarged heart is a serious health risk not an athletic advantage. It would talk about altering our bodies and risking our lives. But nope, not for cyclists!

This is probably the wrong forum, but I just had to post this!

[XNathan]

Not at all bad and good. Thick hearth wall will be less suplied with blood and thus oxygen. Without proper oxygen supply your heart cant contract well when you stress hearth with extra load can be ischemic.

Higher resistance (higher blood presure, or high output) need greater force so hypertrophia occure thats normal adaptation but more muscle need more oxygen. If you can supply your heart with extra oxygen there is no problem but in sutuation when your body is unable supply oxygen that become problem.

Iam lifting weight for 9 years. Last year I was on ECHO-cardiografia my heart is in good shape thickness of left ventricle is 11mm. Blood preasure when off 110/60 pulse rate morning 50-60 evening 70-80 resting. For me there isnt direct corelation between AS, weight training and left ventricle thickness. For bodybuilders and lifters is more dangerous high BP and elevated LDL and TG, than AS use by it self. But AS use follow elevated LDL, high simple sugars (wrong diet) follow higher TG and water retention is asociated with high BP.. so together this lead to encumbered heart thus wall thickness.

[smokeyd]

Not at all bad and good. Thick hearth wall will be less suplied with blood and thus oxygen. Without proper oxygen supply your heart cant contract well when you stress hearth with extra load can be ischemic.

Higher resistance (higher blood presure, or high output) need greater force so hypertrophia occure thats normal adaptation but more muscle need more oxygen. If you can supply your heart with extra oxygen there is no problem but in sutuation when your body is unable supply oxygen that become problem.

Iam lifting weight for 9 years. Last year I was on ECHO-cardiografia my heart is in good shape thickness of left ventricle is 11mm. Blood preasure when off 110/60 pulse rate morning 50-60 evening 70-80 resting. For me there isnt direct corelation between AS, weight training and left ventricle thickness. For bodybuilders and lifters is more dangerous high BP and elevated LDL and TG, than AS use by it self. But AS use follow elevated LDL, high simple sugars (wrong diet) follow higher TG and water retention is asociated with high BP.. so together this lead to encumbered heart thus wall thickness.

um good post

[RDY2GO]

"But researchers have not yet determined whether the athletes' hearts were larger to begin with." - from article

Soooo the only thing we can conclude from this study is that youll be a shitty tour rider if your heart isnt larger then average : P