Your Heart Only has so Many Beats...

dpwellman

I talked with my ex (whizbang physiology, nutrition, medical geek) about the couple of people that died this past winter / spring during or soon after completing half marathon. Her opinion it comes down to two things: Training and Underlying conditions.

In my athletic training classes the instructor did tell us that "your heart disease starts the moment you're born". Seeing how heart disease (and complications from cardiovascular ailments) is the leading cause of death worldwide, I think that statement holds water. The hypothesis of so many beats is an over-simplication

If she writes back I'll update with her opinion.

whovian67

But like a car that only has so many miles, with proper maintenance it can go beyond what it was originally intended to do.

Therefore the theory is dumb.

What he said....plus my response... BS....

Of course, we all know...... when it's our time, it's our time.... the End...

Anyone counted those beats yet?

grandmothercharlie

:noway: I don't believe that. Although people with slower heart rates do tend to live longer; but exercise can help lower your heart rate, so that would also make him wrong.

However, I believe you go when you time comes. Time, place, and way were determined when I was born. This way of thinking tends to make me a little more adventurous. I am working out and trying to get healthier so I can enjoy the time that has been given to me, not to extend it.

horndave

But like a car that only has so many miles, with proper maintenance it can go beyond what it was originally intended to do.

Therefore the theory is dumb.

Not entirely dumb. When it is your time to die, you will die regardless of whether you are fat, obese, thin or healthy. At the second when your heart stops and there are no more heartbeats left...

corehawk

This sounds like the tagline to some movie about a girl who has heart disease and falls in love with the captain of the football team. I guess maybe she's on the marching band or something too.

"Your heart only has so many beats...what song will you play?"

Blech!!! I'm not going to see it, that's for sure.

She wears short skirts, I wear tee shirts. She's cheer captain and i'm on the bleachers.

Daiako

Hummingbird theory.

Fascinating.

Chain_Ring

I call BS----

Chain_Ring

also, endurance. Just sayin'........

fitandfortyish

Interesting discussion. Strangely enough I have had that conversation with a cardiologist. My father who was 71 when he died of a massive heart attack, had no pre-existing heart condition (had a clear ECG 6 months prior), walked daily and had no weight issues. Because this was an out of the blue situation, both my brother and myself went to get a baseline ECG done. The cardiologist who followed up the test had asked why I was having this done as I was "not at risk" (I told him my Dad's story) and he had said sometimes the heart just wears out. No reason for failure, it just does.

I assumed that meant you only get so many beats. Of course then I started freaking out about exercise and the Doc reminded me it is about "quality of life", not "quantity".

csuhar

I've generally heard this theory come up when people look at the lifespan of various animals and then their average heartbeats. I guess (I've never gotten to see the full data) they notice that the trend tends to be that animals with faster heartbeats have shorter lifespans. Like I said- I never got to see the data they used, so it could easily be a "we got the kind of data that supports our hypothesis, so we stopped doing any more research" issue. Heck, all you need is three animals, one each with a fast, medium, and slow heart rate, and as long as the fast HR dies sooner, the medium HR dies somewhere in the middle, and the slow one dies last, someone will say "that's proof enough for me".


But there's also a factor that most animals simply LIVE. They don't take actions to adjust their well-being the same way we do. Animals don't work out and exercise to get healthy. They do stuff for the sake of doing it or for the sake of survival. If my dog doesn't feel like running, she just doesn't run. She doesn't force herself to get up and move in the name of fitness goals. She simply sits in the grass and startes eating bugs (I swear I do feed her).

No_Finish_Line

its bs, but i've also noticed that distance runners tend to pay the price in later years. usually joint problems not heart problems tho.

SweatLikeDog

Heart attacks are caused by the death of muscle tissue in the wall of the heart which, in turn are caused by blockages in the blood vessels of the heart. These blockages, commonly known as atherosclerosis, are the result of inflammation in the blood vessels mainly from poor eating habits over many years. Someone with partially blocked blood vessels might push themselves into a heart attack throught intense exercise, but not vice versa.

Great_Mazinga

I remember a factoid on either NOVA or NATURE program on PBS that said all warm blooded vertebrates have approximately 3 billion heart beats in their life time, regardless of species. I'm certain on the 3 billion, not certain on the type of vertebrate. It could have said all vertebrates, all land, etc. It was on a program about humming birds, specifically talking about their amazing metabolisms.

kevinsmithrn

No matter what - eat right and exercise that way no matter when your heart beats it's last beat whether it's today or 50 years from now - you'll leave a great looking corpse. Enjoy life.

dpwellman

If she writes back I'll update with her opinion.

Exact words were: "That the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard" And she reiterated people who participate in cardiovascular sports who expire unexpectedly usually had some pre-existing condition or lack of training.

steveyinasia

I used to say this all the time as a joke, never thought it would be taken seriously. It was always my excuse for not exercising and thankfully I got over saying that.

yogicarl

I used to train with a Tai Chi/Kung Fu teacher (he would call himself a Master) who went by this theory.

He was an idiot.

CipherZero

Anyway...to cut a long story short, his theory is that your heart only has so many beats and maybe through indurance exercise you work it to an early grave.

His theory is utter speculation and not supported by any study I've looked at.