Is marathon running good for your health?

During the 26.2 mile course:

a. The knees get about 20,000 poundings.

b. Your internal organs are being suspended and bounced 20,000 times, resulting often in hematuria - blood in the urine - from kidney damage.

Now, researchers also have found surprisingly high -- and potentially dangerous -- inflammation and clotting factors in the blood of middle-aged male runners shortly after completion of Boston Marathon. While none of the runners in the Boston Marathon studies showed symptoms of actual cardiac distress, the high levels of creatine kinase-MB and C-reactive protein -- the first, a marker for muscle injury and the second, a risk factor for clotting and heart attack -- showed they were temporarily at increased risk.

C-reactive protein goes up whenever there is muscle damage, and the increase seen in blood clotting probably came from the skeletal muscle injury that occurs in all marathoners who run hard enough to "hit the wall" (become physically exhausted) between mile 18-20 .

Muscle inflammation from overuse causes overproduction of blood clotting factors such as the von Willebrand factor, which was found in higher concentrations in the runners' post-race samples than in their pre-race samples.

The human body is not designed to run 26.2 miles non-stop.  In fact, the marathon distance came about as a tribute to the runner who collapsed and died after completing that journey.

Excessive oxidative stress from over-exercising should be avoided.

If you can help it, don't enter a marathon.  Do a 5k, 10k, or half marathon at most.

To Protect Yourself if you decided to run a marathon:

Take at least six to nine months to train and build endurance prior to a marathon.

Take your personal medical history into account.  Runners with known heart risks should think twice about a marathon. Do not push yourself beyond your body's ability to handle.

Take extra anti-oxidants to protect your body from oxidative stress during the run.

 
About The Author

Michael Lam, M.D., M.P.H., A.B.A.A.M. is a specialist in Preventive and Anti-Aging Medicine. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University, and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine, California. He also holds a Masters of Public Health degree and is Board Certified in Anti-aging Medicine by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. He has authored numerous articles and the following books: The Five Proven Secrets to Longevity, How to Stay Young and Live Longer, Estrogen Dominance - Hormonal Imbalance of the 21st Century, and Beating Cancer with Natural Medicine.

 
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