1 00:00:02,440 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody, Welcome to another edition of Wisdom Wednesdays. 2 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 2: Today, I'm going to talk about your good old ticker 3 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 2: and what we actually need to do to preserve its function, 4 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 2: which becomes increasingly important as we get older. Now, as 5 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,960 Speaker 2: you're probably aware, cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer, and 6 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 2: it's actually the biggest killer by quite some distance. It 7 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 2: way way way outperforms cancer when it comes to deaths, 8 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 2: particularly in the Western world, and a lot of people 9 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 2: are missing out on something that is really significant. There's 10 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 2: lots of talk out there that I hear about cholesterol 11 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 2: levels in terms of your heart and blood pressure, but 12 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 2: not a lot of people talk as much as they 13 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 2: should do about exercise. So our heart is obviously pretty 14 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 2: vital to our survival, and it really does thrive on movement, 15 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 2: and it very much suffers in the absence of movement. 16 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 2: And we know that sedentary behavior is particularly bad. But 17 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 2: there was one study that I've recently come across that 18 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,880 Speaker 2: is just amazing in terms of the insights, and then 19 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 2: there's been a couple of follow up studies that have 20 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 2: been linked to it. So these insights come from a 21 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 2: study that was performed in nineteen sixty six called the 22 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 2: Dallas Bedress Study, and I can't believe I'd never heard 23 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 2: of it, because when I read it, I'm like wow. 24 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 2: And it provided what for me, are pretty groundbreaking insights 25 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:56,080 Speaker 2: into the impact of physical inactivity on our cardiovascular system. 26 00:01:56,600 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 2: So this was quite extreme. What they did is they 27 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 2: took five hell the young men and put them in 28 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 2: complete bed ress for three weeks, and then they looked 29 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 2: at what actually happened to their heart, and then they 30 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 2: trained them for eight weeks. And the results were pretty 31 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 2: amazing because what they actually did then is they found 32 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 2: these people and followed them up decades later, and what 33 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 2: they found was after just three weeks of bed rest, 34 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:35,080 Speaker 2: they experienced a whopping twenty seven percent decline in their 35 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 2: VO two max that's your maximum oxygen uptick. That is 36 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: the gold standard measure of your cardio respiratory fitness. You 37 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,799 Speaker 2: may have heard me talk about it before. And they 38 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:50,920 Speaker 2: had a twenty six percent decrease in their maximal cardiac output, 39 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: so basically how much blood in total that the heart 40 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 2: could actually pump out, and that was primarily due to 41 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,640 Speaker 2: a thirty percent reduction what we call stroke volume. So 42 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 2: that's the amount of volume that you're left ventricle can 43 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:10,920 Speaker 2: actually pomp out. So basically, three weeks of complete inactivity 44 00:03:11,919 --> 00:03:18,239 Speaker 2: just completely destroyed heart function, like reductions of twenty six 45 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,639 Speaker 2: percent increase in the kodiac output, twenty seven percent decline 46 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 2: in video two max, and a thirty one percent reduction 47 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 2: in stroke volume in three weeks. That is completely bonkers. 48 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 2: But here's the really interesting thing is they followed them 49 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 2: up thirty years later. Right now, actually, let me go 50 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 2: back again, and what they did with these people was 51 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 2: they then trained them and they actually got the back 52 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 2: after eight weeks of training, right, But what they did 53 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,600 Speaker 2: was they followed them up thirty years later and they 54 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: find that with thirty years of normal aging, their base 55 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 2: their VIEO two max had declined by twelve percent from 56 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 2: what it was at the start of the study. So 57 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 2: that was less than half the decline of three weeks 58 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,480 Speaker 2: of bad rests. So what this is saying of three 59 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 2: weeks of being completely sedentary is significantly worse for your 60 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:22,400 Speaker 2: heart than thirty years of aging, which is just bunkers. Now, 61 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 2: normal aging is associated with gradual declines in our cardiovascular 62 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,599 Speaker 2: function as well as muscle strength and all these different things. 63 00:04:30,760 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 2: But when we look at particularly our cardiovascular health. It's 64 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 2: associated with reductions in VO two max, in cardiac output, 65 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,279 Speaker 2: and in stroke volume. The amount that you can pump 66 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 2: out and then cardiac output is a measure of booth, 67 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:47,720 Speaker 2: your stroke volume and your heart rate. Now this, as 68 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:51,039 Speaker 2: I said, the Dallas Bad Rests study highlighted that the 69 00:04:51,160 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 2: deterioration from just three weeks of inactivity was greater than 70 00:04:56,000 --> 00:05:00,400 Speaker 2: thirty years of aging, and that really does underscore the 71 00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:05,440 Speaker 2: profound impact that inactivity has on heart health, and I 72 00:05:05,480 --> 00:05:11,479 Speaker 2: think really should elevate our discussion around exercise to mitigate 73 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 2: the effects of aging. So we've known that exercise training 74 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:20,560 Speaker 2: has the part reversed the detrimental effects of sedentary behavior. 75 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,279 Speaker 2: So because, as I said, those participants in the Dallas 76 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 2: Bay ad Risk study, after they had those ridiculous declines 77 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 2: in their cardiac function, and they did eight weeks of 78 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 2: endurance training and that then resulted in a pretty remarkable 79 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 2: forty five percent increase in their VO two max and 80 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 2: a forty percent rise in maximal cardiac output. So not 81 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 2: only was eight weeks of endurance training able to offset 82 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:51,080 Speaker 2: the negatives, but they actually got significantly better. Right, So, 83 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,320 Speaker 2: just to go through it, again, Initially they had a 84 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,280 Speaker 2: twenty seven percent reduction in VO two max, and they 85 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 2: then got a forty five percent increase, So they were 86 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 2: ended up significantly better, nearly twenty percent better than what 87 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 2: they were than when they went into the study. Now 88 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 2: there was a more recent study that adds to a 89 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 2: little bit of this. It is a two year randomized 90 00:06:16,120 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 2: control trial investigating the effects of exercise training on previously 91 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 2: sedentary middle aged adults. So this starts to then have 92 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 2: implications for large portions of the population. And they find 93 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 2: up with these guys that regular exercise not only increased 94 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:37,839 Speaker 2: their VO two max by eighteen percent, but also significantly 95 00:06:37,920 --> 00:06:45,040 Speaker 2: reduced left ventricular stiffness. So that is a really key factor. 96 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 2: So that left ventricle, that's the part of the heart 97 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 2: that is pumping the blood out through the aa or 98 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 2: to get to the rest of your body, and over 99 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 2: time it becomes stiffer and the muscle just doesn't work 100 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 2: as well, and that's when we start to get heart failure. 101 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 2: And you see that that left for ventricular stiffness is 102 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 2: associated with heart failure. Now, the exercise regime that they 103 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 2: did with these guys that was a mix of high 104 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 2: intensity interval training and more moderate intensity continuous training, and 105 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 2: that really highlighted the importance of a varied levels of 106 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:26,320 Speaker 2: exercise for cardiovascular health. And I think I'll do another 107 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:33,000 Speaker 2: podcast to really go into what is the best way, 108 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 2: the best types of training to actually improve the function 109 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:43,000 Speaker 2: of your heart. And it is a combination of cardiovascular 110 00:07:43,040 --> 00:07:46,760 Speaker 2: training and strength training. But I think what these two 111 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 2: studies show together is that our hearts are highly responsive 112 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 2: to both inactivity and to exercise. So we talk about plasticity, 113 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 2: and it's just like the heart is like other So 114 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:04,920 Speaker 2: you don't use it, you lose it, and that can 115 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 2: cause heart failure over time. That sedentary behavior and leads 116 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 2: to rapid declines in cardiovascular function, whereas regular exercise can 117 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:18,440 Speaker 2: dramatically improve heart health reverse in the effects of aging 118 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:23,480 Speaker 2: and inactivity. Now, other studies have shown that if you 119 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 2: have been sedentary for long periods of time or even 120 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:32,800 Speaker 2: for a while, getting on the exercise treadmill, so to speak, 121 00:08:32,840 --> 00:08:36,920 Speaker 2: in middle age is really really important. I think I'll 122 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:39,800 Speaker 2: talk about some other studies that showed training in middle 123 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:44,600 Speaker 2: age has amazing effects. So when you're in your fifties, forties, fifties, 124 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,440 Speaker 2: you're going to have amazing effects on your heart as 125 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 2: an enormous amount of plasticity, and that just starts to 126 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,839 Speaker 2: decline the ability of the heart to change. We've seen 127 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 2: in other studies where they go into seventy year olds 128 00:08:56,760 --> 00:09:01,079 Speaker 2: and they don't get anywhere near the improveds that they 129 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 2: get with the same training protocol in fifty year olds. 130 00:09:04,920 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 2: So it really is about getting on the bandwagon reasonably early, 131 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 2: and certainly when you're in your forties, in your fifties, 132 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 2: it is absolutely time to act. But that doesn't mean 133 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 2: that you do nothing. If you're older than that and 134 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:26,320 Speaker 2: you're listening to this, it's just that the return on 135 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 2: your investment is going to be a bit of a 136 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:33,400 Speaker 2: harder shift. So it is really about starting early. But 137 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 2: I think that Dallas bad rest study that just blew 138 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 2: my mind that three weeks of complete bad rest is 139 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:44,720 Speaker 2: significantly worse for your heart than thirty years of aging. 140 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 2: And so it's just thinking about all the time that 141 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 2: we're spending sitting. I know it's not complete bed rest, 142 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 2: but all that time that you're just not moving is 143 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:58,720 Speaker 2: really bad for your heart. I mean, it really is, 144 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 2: user or lose it, and that is one muscle that 145 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 2: you do not want to lose function of That's it 146 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 2: for this week, folks. I'll catch you next time when 147 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 2: I will go into a training protocol in pretty good 148 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:15,120 Speaker 2: detail about how to improve your overall cardio of Asker 149 00:10:15,240 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 2: fitness and your overall heart health. Catch you next time.