OVERDOING IT?
New research is exploring the effects of training on elite competitors
Given that regular exercise is associated with good health, it's easy to assume that fit, strong elite athletes are healthier than the rest of us. Yet the adage that too much of a good thing isn't always a good thing is true of physical activity. Overtraining can stress the heart, depress the immune system, increase the risk of injury and have a negative effect on sleep and mood.
How much exercise is too much? No one knows for sure. But a few studies have suggested that the protective effect of physical activity on heart health may decrease among endurance athletes whose exercise habits are measured in hours rather than minutes per week. And given that most elite athletes devote decades of their life to training at intensities and volumes far exceeding the average exerciser, could it be that their extreme workout habits have a negative rather than protective effect on long-term health?
In an effort to shed more light on the relationship between chronic intense exercise and longevity, and on whether some sports or activities are more or less protective of health, a U.K. team of researchers compared the all-cause mortality and cardiovascular-and cancer-related deaths of elite athletes versus their recreationally active counterparts.
The review included 24 studies with a data set totalling 165,033 athletes (139,322 men and 25,711 women). Noting that the sample of female athletes was too small to separate by sport, the researchers limited their sport-specific review of longevity to male athletes and divided the group into endurance (middle- and long-distance runners, rowers, cross-country skiers, ice skaters and Tour de France cyclists), team sport (football, baseball, soccer, hockey and basketball) and power athletes (boxers, wrestlers, weightlifters, and throwing events in track and field).
“The key findings from this review are: (1) male and female elite athletes live longer than the general population; (2) male athletes have a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality than the general population; (3) power sport athletes' all-cause and cardiovascular disease mortality were not significantly different to the general population; (4) endurance athletes' cancer mortality was not significantly different to the general population,” the researchers said.
Elite male and female athletes had a 31 and 49 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality, respectively, compared to less active members of the population. But that's not the most interesting finding. Not all sports and activities offered the same level of long-term health benefits. Male endurance athletes benefited from the greatest boost in longevity, with marathon runners, Tour de France cyclists and Olympians competing in endurance sports adding four, eight and six years, respectively, to their life expectancy compared to the general population.
Team sport athletes also benefited from a boost in life expectancy, though to a lesser extent.
Much of the added longevity is linked to superior cardiovascular fitness, which translated into better heart health and explains why endurance athletes live longer than team sport and power athletes. Elite athletes were also less likely to die of cancer-related diseases than the general population, though again not all types of activities provided the same level of protection.
The researchers speculated that other lifestyle habits were also significant contributors to the longevity of elite athletes. “Former athletes smoke less, drink less and engage in more long-term physical activity than the general population, all of which significantly contribute to cancer risk and mortality,” said the researchers.
The idea that lifestyle is a powerful predictor of overall good health isn't new. But this review of elite athletes reminds recreational athletes and couch potatoes alike of the importance of a healthy, active lifestyle.
And while the researchers admit it's impossible to know whether lifestyle or training has the biggest impact on longevity, it's likely that the combination of the two provides the greatest boost to long-term health and wellness.
The other important message is that there's a dose-response relationship between exercise and lifelong health. So while most of us will never match the exercise habits of elite athletes, the idea that more exercise results in more benefits is reason enough to strive for more than the recommended 150 minutes of physical activity a week.
Choosing an activity you like will result in greater adherence, especially over the long haul. Not everyone is mentally and physically suited to be an endurance athlete, so don't feel pressure to start running 10K. The goal is to make exercise part of your lifestyle, and not just in small doses. If you want to reap the longevity-boosting benefits of exercise later in life, you need to put in the work.
Not everyone is mentally and physically suited to be an endurance athlete, so don't feel pressure to start running 10K.