The Heart Hazards of Running a Marathon

Running for exercise is a great way to get the heart pumping and keep it healthy, but new research reveals that long-distance racing can take a toll, especially in those who aren’t fit.

In a study of 20 runners with various levels of race experience, scientists found that immediately after completing a marathon, the runners’ hearts were almost indistinguishable from ones that had been seized by a heart attack. The runners’ hearts showed more inflammation, high levels of a stress enzyme that rises during a heart attack and increased amounts of dying heart muscle than they did before the race.

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