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The same goes for your heart, which is also a muscle.
When this enlargement happens, doctors call it athletes (or athletic) heart.
What is athletes heart?
sports cardiologist with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth
These sports-related changes in the heart (known as exercise-induced cardiac remodeling) can affect myocardial structure or function.
Whos at risk?
Athletic heart is pretty rare.
OK, what about people who dovigorous strength training?
Elite bodybuilders may also experience changes in their hearts too.
What symptoms should an athlete look out for?
Some people dont show any signs of athletes heart.
These may be signs of a potential heart attack, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Is athletes heart dangerous?
sports cardiologist with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth
No, most times it is not dangerous and does not cause any problems, Dr. Higgins says.
Still, while athletic heart isnt a disease or medical condition, it might cause some side effects.
Elite athletes with enlarged hearts are also more likely to have lower blood pressure, he adds.
On top of this, theres some evidence that athletes heart can impact your health down the road.
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But sometimes it could be a symptom of another medical condition.
They can properly examine you to rule out any serious heart problems.
How much exercise is too much?
Along with an enlarged heart, there are also more immediate effects oftoo much exercise.
Overtraining happens when you dont give yourself enough time to rest and recover after repetitive intense training.
It can have a damaging domino effect on just about every aspect of your life and health.
However, if you dont have any concerning symptoms, an echocardiogram probably isnt necessary.
Most people with athletes heart are totally healthy and dont usually need to be tested, Dr. Higgins adds.
Does athletic heart go away?
Yep, in most cases.
It typically takes three to six months for your ticker to shrink to its usual size.
Still, approximately 20 percent keep their large hearts even after cutting back, Dr. Higgins says.
Though theres no current data on the topic, Dr. Higgins suspects its probably genetic.
For these folks, its important to work with a care provider to help them manage their heart health.
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