Athletes, take note: Higher resting heart rates aren’t just a problem for the less fit, according to new Danish research.
A low resting heart rate (50-70 beats per minute) is normally linked to good physical health, while a higher rate (in the 80s or above) tends to mean the opposite. But the 16-year study of almost 3,000 men found that every 10 to 22 additional beats per minute was associated with a 16 percent increase in death—regardless of fitness habits.
So should you be worried? If you’re exercising four to five times a week and revving up your intensity every now and then, there’s probably no reason to lose sleep over a heart rate in the 70s or 80s, says cardiologist Eric Topol, M.D., director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute and a Men’s Health expert advisor.
“For some people, a higher resting heart rate is just in your genes,” he says. In fact, a study published this week in Natures Genetic discovered 14 new genetic variations that have to do with heart rate.
But if you've been slacking on the cardio lately and your heart rate's sneaking up to the 80s, ramp up your workout. (You can check your rate yourself with Cardiio, $0.99 for iOS.) Remember: Rigorous aerobic activity is the best, says Dr. Topol. Research in the BMJ Open found that working out harder (not longer) could ward off metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors (including obesity and high blood pressure) that increase your risk for cardiovascular disease.
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