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A study from the University of Leeds has found that older male endurance athletes may be more likely to develop scarring in their hearts—linked with abnormal rhythms and a higher risk of cardiac arrest.
The research, published in Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging, involved 106 healthy male athletes over the age of 50. All had trained intensely—cycling or doing triathlons for at least 10 hours a week over 15 years.
Initial MRI scans showed that nearly half had heart scarring, particularly in the lower left chamber. During the two-year study, more than 20% experienced episodes of ventricular tachycardia—a fast, potentially dangerous heartbeat. Most of these athletes had already shown signs of heart scarring.
Among them was Brian Cookson, 74, President of British Cycling, who discovered his heart rate had spiked to 238bpm during a training session. Thanks to the trial, his condition was diagnosed, and he received a defibrillator implant.
“I’m so grateful to have been part of this study. It might well have saved my life,” he said.
Lead researcher Dr Peter Swoboda emphasised the results should not deter people from regular exercise. The findings apply to a small, specific group of long-term endurance athletes, and not all showed scarring or symptoms.
The research team now aims to explore whether female endurance athletes experience similar risks.
According to Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan from the British Heart Foundation, “This early research suggests that intense exercise over many years may affect heart health in some veteran male athletes. More research is needed to identify those most at risk—who could benefit from a life-saving implant.”
Read the full story here.
