About this episode

Guido Claessen discusses the impact of intensive exercise on heart health in aging athletes.

Professional Supplements for Wise Athletes (click to see the huge "always on" discount) Guido Claessen, PhD Guido Claessen is a Belgian sports cardiologist, physician-scientist (MD, PhD), and academic specializing in sports cardiology, exercise physiology, and advanced cardiovascular imaging. His research focuses on how intensive exercise affects the heart, distinguishing normal athletic adaptations from heart disease, and improving the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions. Summary Sports cardiologist Guido Claessen — principal investigator on the Pro@Heart and Master@Heart studies out of KU Leuven and University of Hasselt — joins Joe to untangle one of the most uncomfortable questions in masters endurance sport: can you exercise too much for your heart? His answer is nuanced. The benefits of exercise are enormous and not in dispute: athletes live at least as long as the general population, probably longer, with far better quality of life. The benefit curve is steep early — the biggest gains come from going from sedentary to even an hour a week — and continues deepening to roughly three to six hours weekly before it plateaus. Past that point, Claessen argues…

People in this episode

Host: Joe

Guest: Guido Claessen

Topics covered

• heart health
• sports cardiology
• exercise physiology
• masters endurance sport
• cardiovascular conditions

Keywords

• heart health
• exercise
• athletes
• cardiology
• cardiovascular disease
• exercise physiology
• aging

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: KU Leuven, University of Hasselt

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