Cardiac preparations for athletes. Athletes for the heart drugs

The incidence of cardiovascular pathology in recent years has not only been steadily growing, but also rapidly “getting younger”. In this regard, the preventive orientation of primary health care doctors continues to be relevant to this day. This is done thanks to the commitment to the principle “it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat its consequences”.

In order to know how to strengthen the heart and prevent the development of its diseases, one should be aware of what are the risk factors for their occurrence. In this case, preventive measures aimed at preventing cardiac pathology, coupled with properly selected food products, and in some cases with drugs, will have a beneficial effect on the heart muscle. Otherwise, without eliminating risk factors that a person can influence on their own, none of the medicinal plants will have the expected effect on the cardiovascular system.

What are the risk factors for heart disease?

In addition to the main causes that can cause the development of a particular cardiac disease (genetic disorders, heart defects, kidney pathology in hypertension, and others), the doctor must be aware of the development of cardiovascular diseases and assess the degree of risk in each individual patient. The patient, for his part, also needs to keep these factors in mind, and do not forget that most of them can be easily corrected, and in their absence, the heart will remain healthy, strong and hardy throughout life.

The main generally accepted factors that can cause adverse effects of cardiac diseases, and, in particular, significantly increase the likelihood of developing acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death, include the following:

  • Gender and age have a direct relationship with the development of cardiac pathology - most often it affects men over 40 years old. This group of patients needs to pay special attention to possible changes in fat () and carbohydrate metabolism (diabetes).
  • Increase in body mass index up to obesity (above 30 kg / m2), especially in combination with an increased level (above 5.0 mmol / l) contributes to deposition in the inner wall of the arteries, which is most significant for the aorta and for the coronary (feeding the heart) arteries.
  • leads to a negative effect of the excess on the intima of the vessels, which, in combination with atherosclerosis, negatively affects the integrity of the vascular wall from the inside.
  • characterized increased tone vessels, leading to impaired blood supply internal organs and to the constant hard work of the heart.
  • Bad habits- Alcohol and smoking contribute to damage from the inside of the inner lining of blood vessels (intima).

What preventive measures will help strengthen the heart?

Everyone knows that healthy heart- the key to a long, happy and, importantly, quality life. Qualitative in this case means the existence of a person not only without unpleasant subjective symptoms, but also without the need to depend on daily medication for any heart disease. In order to strengthen the heart muscle and keep it healthy for many years, it is enough to regularly follow a number of simple rules regarding a person’s lifestyle. This is called the prevention of cardiac diseases. Primary prevention is distinguished, aimed at preventing risk factors for heart pathology, as well as secondary, aimed at preventing complications in an already developed disease.

Let's start with the first concept:

So, primary prevention in cardiology, which allows you to strengthen the heart, is based on the following components - modification lifestyle, correct and rational nutrition, as well as adequate physical activity. It makes sense to talk about each of them in more detail.

Lifestyle Correction

A person who thinks about his health in general, and about strengthening the heart in particular, should understand that rejection of bad habits - the most important aspect in reducing the risk of developing cardiac pathology. So, smoking and alcohol cause an increase in heart rate, or tachycardia, and with constant tachycardia, the human heart experiences an increased need for oxygen, which is delivered to them through the coronary arteries. At the same time, the coronary arteries can already be changed due to atherosclerosis or diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the blood supply and oxygen supply to the heart of a smoking and alcohol abuser suffers, which leads to and may sooner or later become the cause.

plays an important role in the health of the body exclusion of stressful situations V Everyday life. The modern pace of life of people, especially residents of megacities, is often accompanied by a high psycho-emotional load. Hans Selye also proved that stress has an extremely negative effect on the human body. And constant stress, repeated from day to day, leads not only to disruption of the adrenal glands, but also has a direct effect on the activity of the heart and blood vessels due to a significant increase in release of adrenaline and cortisol into the blood, which contribute to an increase in heart rate and, accordingly,. First - sinus, and as the myocardium weakens and microelement deficiency - more serious forms. In addition, there is a high risk of developing stress-induced diseases, including diabetes mellitus and some autoimmune processes. That is why, at present, many large companies use psychological relief rooms and conduct receptions of a full-time psychologist. If the patient does not provide for these activities at work, he should visit a psychologist or psychotherapist to create psychological comfort and maintain mental health.

Organization of the daily routine It was not in vain that it was widely promoted back in Soviet times. During sleep, the heart rate slows down and the breathing rate decreases. Skeletal muscles Those who are at rest during sleep require less blood and oxygen, which makes it easier for the heart to work and the heart muscle to experience less stress.

Therefore, to strengthen the heart muscle, a person should sleep at least eight hours a day. And athletes involved in physical exercises - even more, to achieve a full recovery of all body systems, incl. heart muscle.

Balanced diet

Proper nutrition should not be confused with heavy, debilitating diets, with which the patient brings himself to severe starvation, and after a short time starts eating everything again. A healthy diet refers to eating useful products nutrition, balanced in the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. At the same time, “harmful” food is excluded, and the food intake should be regular, preferably at the same time, at least four times a day. The last meal is at least 4 hours before the night's rest.

Due to the fact that an excess of “bad” cholesterol is deposited in the walls of blood vessels and leads to the development and blocking of their lumen, it is necessary exclude and limit the following foods:

  • Fast food, instant food, and any other high in animal fat, sugar and high glycemic index,
  • fatty meats,
  • Fried dishes, fried in lard, butter,
  • Salinity, smoked products, spices,
  • Confectionery,
  • The consumption of egg yolks is limited to 2-4 per week.

Food items such as:


Regarding patients with a predisposition to cardiac diseases or with an existing pathology, we should separately mention the restriction of daily salt intake (no more than 5 grams) and the amount of fluid you drink (no more than 1.5-2 liters).

Of course, it will be quite difficult for many patients to immediately give up their usual diet when they want to eat more satisfying and larger foods. But it is still necessary to rebuild, because, even despite the absence of symptoms from the heart, the patient himself forms in his body a predisposition to cardiac pathology. For example, patients with diabetes have long been taught to think that diabetes is not a disease, but a way of life. It should also be the case for patients seeking to keep their heart healthy - they should clearly understand that lifestyle correction comes down to properly organizing their daily routine and comparing it with regular meals at the same time. And food should be not only healthy and healthy, but also varied and tasty, otherwise, such events will be perceived by the patient as a painful diet.

What foods are the most beneficial for the cardiovascular system?

  1. Nuts. This product contains a balanced amount of vitamins and microelements that allow you to strengthen not only the heart and blood vessels, but the whole body as a whole. First place firmly occupied walnuts, the second in terms of the content of omega-polyunsaturated fatty acids, which contribute to the normalization of cholesterol metabolism, is almonds. With caution, people with an allergic predisposition should use nuts.
  2. Berries and fruits. Most useful for the heart are pomegranate, apples, grapefruit, strawberries, currants, raspberries, cherries, cherries and rose hips. The beneficial effect of the juice and fruits of these plants is due to the high content of vitamins, potassium, magnesium and iron in them.
  3. Lean meat and fish(cod, tuna, sardine, veal, turkey) are rich in protein and B vitamins. Oily fish “ noble breeds”, in particular, the salmon family, in turn, is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which contribute to better absorption of the so-called. “good cholesterol” () and the removal of “bad cholesterol” (LDL).
  4. Vegetables. Avocados and, for example, pumpkin seeds are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids. In turn, an excess of “bad” cholesterol can be leveled after a few months from the start. rational nutrition. Onions, garlic and broccoli contain trace elements that contribute to the normalization of vascular tone (lowering high blood pressure), as well as proper cell contraction. muscle tissue.
  5. Cereal and grain products. Oats, buckwheat, wheat, rice, wholemeal bread are a storehouse of valuable B vitamins necessary for the normal functioning of all internal organs, including the heart.

Video: Channel 1 about foods that are good for the heart

Physical activity

Physical activity for a healthy person should be moderate, especially if a person has not previously been involved in sports or physical education, and suddenly decided to start doing it. The heart must be subjected to a feasible load. It is enough to start with a little exercise in the morning. Then supplement with light jogging, swimming in the pool, game types sports. As a base for the exercise, it is recommended to perform the following: squats, swings with arms and legs, side bends, push-ups, abdominal exercises, stretching.

As an optimal example, beginners who begin to actively engage in sports without cardiac pathology can recommend aerobic so-called. cardio loads in reasonable quantities. With an increase in training time based on endurance, heart rate and well-being. Best suited for this elliptical trainers, jogging, on the track. It is important that for effective workout you need to choose not extreme loads, but longer, but “feasible” ones. In this case, the pulse should be in the “aerobic zone” - best of all between [(190 beats / min) minus (age, years)] and [(150 beats / min) minus (age, years)]. Those. for a 30-year-old person, effective and relatively safe zone to strengthen the heart muscle - from 120 to 160 beats per minute. (It is best to take lower-middle values, i.e. 120 - 140 beats / min, especially with insufficient training).

People with a healthy heart who are already professionally engaged or performing regular classes in fitness centers or gyms, the load program should be compiled individually with the help of a trainer, and increased in doses and gradually.

As for the activation of a patient with already existing cardiovascular diseases, it should be carried out only after consulting a physiotherapy doctor.

Video: examples of gymnastic exercises to strengthen the heart

Video: an example of a cardiologist's opinion on heart training


Does it make sense to take pills?

Medications for primary prevention, that is, to affect a healthy heart, are in principle not required. However, by doctor's prescription, patients with existing chronic diseases of other organs ( bronchial asthma, diabetes mellitus, pyelonephritis) it is possible to recommend the intake of trace elements - potassium and magnesium, which are contained in the preparations asparkam, magnevist, magnerot, panangin, magnelis forte, etc.

A healthy person should not lean on drugs, a full-fledged diet and preventive courses of taking ordinary vitamins twice a year are enough (the Alphabet line, Undevit, Complivit, etc.).

In case of insufficient intake of substances necessary for work, maintenance of health and regeneration of the heart muscle with food (for example, amino acids), such conditions can be corrected by prescribing dietary supplements, sports and special nutrition. However the best option Get everything you need from a balanced diet.

In any case, the optimal solution for healthy people who want to “strengthen the heart” with the help of vitamins, mineral supplements and dietary supplements is an individual consultation with a cardiologist and laboratory determination of the level of trace elements in the blood, followed by the appointment of the necessary substances, best of all - not in tablets, but in the form of a supplement. diet with foods rich in them.

Video: An example of an opinion on the use of more serious cardiac drugs by athletes

(!) We do not recommend uncontrolled intake of any cardiac drugs without a doctor's prescription!

But certain drugs for secondary prevention, that is, people with pre-existing heart disease or with a burdened premorbid background (obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, heart defects, cardiomyopathy), often must be taken. So, in patients with (hypercholesterolemia) even without clinical manifestations, reception is required (! in case it was not possible to correct the level of cholesterol in the blood for six months only with the help of a diet).

In patients with ischemia, it is mandatory to take and (bisoprolol) in order to reduce the frequency of pain attacks and reduce the risk. Patients with hypertension are required to take (enalapril) or sartans (losartan) with an organoprotective purpose, because these drugs protect the heart itself, blood vessels from the inside, kidneys, retina and brain from the negative effects of high blood pressure. blood pressure.

How to strengthen the heart with folk remedies?

The following are some of the means to strengthen the heart muscle and vascular wall, known to people many decades ago. Belief in their effectiveness is a personal matter for everyone. It is important that patients with existing pathology or those at risk combine folk methods with the treatment prescribed by the doctor, and with his knowledge.


Recipe 1st.
Peel and scroll five heads of garlic, mix with the juice of ten lemons and five hundred grams of honey. Take 4-5 teaspoons daily for about a month. (It is believed that such a mixture helps to remove excess bad cholesterol, including already deposited in the arteries).

Recipe 2. Flowers of calendula (marigold) in crushed form, pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 15 minutes, strain and bring the volume to one glass. Take half a cup twice a day for about two weeks.

Recipe 3rd. 4 tbsp. spoons of onion juice mixed with 4 tbsp. spoons of honey. Take 2 tbsp. l. x 4 times a day - 1 month. Prepare a new mixture daily. (This mixture, like the previous one, has a tonic effect).

Recipe 4th(with the “stressful” nature of hypertension). The so-called "talker" - buy in a pharmacy or prepare your own alcohol tinctures of hawthorn, peony evading, valerian, motherwort and corvalol, mix in a larger container and take 15 drops x 3 times a day for a month, and subsequently in stressful situations.

Medicinal plant use and use folk recipes both for the purpose of prevention and for the purpose of treatment, should be carried out with extreme caution. Unlike pharmaceuticals, which are tested in multicentre trials, the effect of plants on the human body has been little studied. In most cases, no one can isolate the active substance from the plant and study its absorption, distribution to organs and excretion. That is why the uncontrolled intake of various herbs, infusions, and decoctions without the knowledge of the attending physician can do more harm than good.

Video: comprehensive heart strengthening program

One of the presenters will answer your question.

IN this moment answers questions: A. Olesya Valerievna, candidate of medical sciences, lecturer at a medical university

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The vast majority of athletes prefer to train in a natural way, namely, without the use of steroids, and in order to improve the quality and speed of recovery after training, they use only some relatively harmless drugs that are not related to doping, including creatine, protein, amino acids, gainers, free sold in specialized stores sports nutrition. For the same purposes, athletes widely use a number of medicines that are available in ordinary pharmacies and dispensed without a prescription.

But, nevertheless, despite the relative harmlessness and availability of such pharmaceutical preparations, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the instructions attached to them and it is advisable to consult a doctor about their use before taking them. This article provides an overview of the main drugs used in bodybuilding, discusses their significance and effect on the athlete's body, contraindications and possible side effects.

Being a stimulant of biochemical processes, it is able to have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system of an athlete. The drug increases the strength of heart contractions, increasing stroke volume and coronary blood supply, has anabolic and antiarrhythmic effects. Riboxin improves blood supply to muscle tissues, normalizes energy metabolism, activates metabolic processes in the myocardium, as well as a number of enzymes. In addition to a positive effect on the heart, Riboxin improves the regeneration of muscle tissue. But for effective recovery after heavy loads, Riboxin alone is not enough, so it is recommended to take it in combination with potassium orotate.

Riboxin can replace ATP. The drug is effective in combination with potassium orotate. It is taken for 1-3 months according to the scheme 0.2 g 3-4 times a day.

The drug is a stimulator of endogenous biochemical processes, belongs to the metabolism. Produced mainly in tablet form, dispensed in a pharmacy without a prescription. The average dosage for an athlete is 1.5-2 g per day. In fact, potassium orotate is a common mineral salt found in the tissues of any living organism. The drug strengthens of cardio-vascular system and has an anabolic effect, allowing the athlete to recover faster after training. The drug enhances diuresis and improves appetite. For a noticeable progress of a bodybuilder, the drug is not particularly effective, but, nevertheless, in general, it is useful for the body, is well tolerated by the athlete and does not side effects.

The drug is taken according to the scheme: one hour before meals, 1 tablet 3-4 times a day. The duration of the treatment course is 21-24 days.

Mildronate

Mildronate is classified as a cardioprotector. The drug is designed to increase the athlete's performance, compensating for the manifestations of the syndrome of mental and physical overwork. Mildronate normalizes metabolic processes and regulates cellular immunity. As a rule, mildronate is prescribed at the rate of 15-20 mg per kilogram of weight. The drug is taken according to the doctor's prescription, so it is recommended to consult before you start taking it.

The daily dosage of the drug is determined at the rate of 15-20 mg / kg of body weight, which averages 1-2 g, taken in 4 doses. The duration of the course is 14 days with a repeat in 2-3 weeks.

Agapurin is available in tablet form and is relatively inexpensive. Preparations based on a similar active substance are trental and pentoxifylline. Agapurine is taken separately from other drugs. It increases vascular tone, reduces blood viscosity and increases blood flow velocity, which is important for an athlete who feels the maximum pumping of working muscles. The drug is used mainly by experienced bodybuilders - agapurine should be taken carefully, following the instructions, in order to avoid side effects of the drug.

In bodybuilding, Agapurin is taken according to the scheme:

  • on training days 3 times 2 tablets;
  • on rest days 3 times 1 tablet.

Duration of the course Agapurin - 20 days. After a 4-week break, the course is repeated. Tablets are washed down with a large volume of water. To avoid side effects, it is forbidden to take the drug without the consent of the doctor.

The plant grows in the western and eastern parts of Siberia, in the highlands of Altai and in Central Asia. It contains phytoexidons - substances identical to steroid compounds with a pronounced anabolic effect. activates protein synthesis and its accumulation in muscle tissue, heart, liver and kidneys. The drug helps to increase physical endurance and intellectual performance. Long-term use of leuzea strengthens the vascular bed and thereby improves overall blood circulation. The drug reduces the heart rate. Leuzea is part of food additive, which is called Levzeya-P. One tablet of the supplement contains about 0.85 mg of the active ingredient - ecdysten, the cost of supplements in sports stores varies between 700-1800 rubles.

The drug is capable of causing hypoglycemia (a drop in blood sugar levels) and is superior in effectiveness to individual RA-adaptogens. Since the release of somatotropic hormone is observed due to hypoglycemia, the intake of Manchurian aralia contributes to the achievement of a high anabolic effect - the athlete improves his appetite and increases body weight. The drug is classified as an anabolic stimulant. Aralia tincture is sold in every pharmacy. Take it at a dose of 20-30 drops in the morning on an empty stomach and an hour before training.

As for vitamins taken separately:

Thiamine (B1) participates in the activity of the main body systems: cardiovascular, nervous and digestion. Influences growth and energy balance. Lack of vitamin B1 causes irritability, lack of appetite, increased fatigue and related health disorders.

Cyanocobalamin (B12) increases protein synthesis and its accumulation in tissues, is an effective anabolic agent.

Pyridoxine (B6) plays important role in metabolism and the normal functioning of the nervous system.

Ascorbic acid (C)- antioxidant and reducing agent involved in metabolic processes.

Vitamins of group B are produced in injectable form, as a rule, an ampoule contains 1 ml of a substance of 5% concentration. It is unacceptable to administer all vitamins at the same time on one day - each vitamin is administered sequentially on a separate day, adhering to the cycle. Injections are made intramuscularly, the introduction of B1 and B6 can be somewhat painful.

Diabeton MB is a pharmaceutical drug sold freely. One of the strongest anabolics. As a drug, it is used as a pancreatic stimulant in the complex treatment of diabetes mellitus. Bodybuilders use this drug to maintain high level anabolism in the offseason. In terms of effectiveness, it is close to insulin injections, and in terms of overall action, to methandrostenolone. The drug allows the athlete to quickly gain weight.

Available in the form of tablets of 30 mg. They start with a dose of 30 mg per day, which, if necessary, can be increased to 60 mg in the next course (the course lasts one and a half to two months). Diabeton MB should not be taken with other drugs. Take it with breakfast once a day. The anabolic effect of diabetone is to stimulate the production of one of the anabolic hormones - insulin. For the effective action of the drug, at least six meals a day with no big amount fat and high protein. While taking diabetone, low-calorie diets are prohibited in order to avoid the development of side effects of the drug, in particular, hypoglycemia.

Tamoxifen is classified as an antiestrogen. The drug is used by bodybuilders to increase the level of testosterone in the body, blocking estrogen. Tamoxifen is used in combination with other drugs for the most effective exposure to long-term courses, for at least 6-8 weeks. Tamoxifen becomes especially popular with bodybuilders during cutting, as it speeds up and enhances fat burning processes. In cases where an athlete has a tendency to water retention against the background of the use anabolic steroids tamoxifen is mandatory. The drug in bodybuilding is also valuable in that it allows the bodybuilder to effectively increase muscle density. Like any highly effective drug, tamoxifen has many side effects and contraindications, so it should be taken strictly as prescribed by a sports doctor.

Indications for taking glycerophosphate as a drug are overwork, dystrophy, rickets. For a bodybuilder, the drug is valuable in that it accelerates the absorption of protein and improves metabolism. Calcium glycerophosphate also helps to increase appetite. While taking the drug in the diet, it is necessary to limit fats, replacing them with proteins. It is recommended to take the drug in courses. There are no analogues of calcium glycerophosphate. The approximate daily dose of the drug is calculated based on the ratio of 100 mg for every 8 kilograms of weight. The daily dosage of Calcium Glycerophosphate is 1000 mg with a weight of 80 kg. It is divided into 5 doses of one tablet (200 mg). Time of taking the drug: morning 2 hours before training. The mass course lasts 1.5-2 months.

In terms of action, trimetazidine is close to the well-known mildronate, but much cheaper than the latter. The drug contributes to a greater delivery of oxygen to the cells, preserves the intracellular potential, counteracts the formation of free radicals, and increases the athlete's endurance. Taking the drug can significantly increase the load and intensity of training. Trimetazidine can be replaced with a similar agent containing, which, however, will not be an equivalent replacement in terms of effectiveness. It is possible to combine the drug with other drugs.

Vinpocetine is a drug that corrects cerebral circulation disorders. The active substance of the drug is apovincaminate. Vinpocetine has a direct effect on metabolic processes in the brain tissue. It has a vasodilating effect and improves the blood supply to the brain tissues. Vinpocetine increases the resistance of tissues to hypoxia, activates the utilization of glucose and the exchange of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain tissue. The drug prevents platelet aggregation, thereby reducing blood viscosity. Vinpocetine has a positive effect not only on the brain, but also on muscle tissues, contributing to their better supply of oxygen and nutrients. The drug is usually taken in a dose of 5 to 30 mg 30 minutes - an hour before training. Vinpocetine does not side effects classic "energy" in the form of insomnia or hand tremors.

The mechanism of action of metformin is based on its ability to suppress gluconeogenesis in the liver, prevent glucose absorption in the intestine and better utilize it in muscle tissues. Accelerates the process of transition of glucose into glycogen. Reduces appetite, thereby reducing or stabilizing weight. It does not have a hypoglycemic effect. Before use, the athlete should consult a doctor, as the drug has many contraindications and may have side effects.

Impressive muscle mass and exorbitant loads during training form the so-called heart of an athlete in bodybuilders with experience. It is enlarged, contracts more often, beats more powerfully - and wears out faster. In order to avoid problems, power athletes need special care and support for their motor.

Prevention of heart pathologies in bodybuilding

Doctors are convinced that strength training is not safe for the cardiovascular system. Many famous bodybuilders passed away in the prime of life - their heart could not withstand the stress. It must be strengthened - it has become an axiom for everyone who wants to have relief muscles and maintain health. It is dangerous to work with full gear in the gym without properly selected drugs and dosed cardio training.

Contraindications to power sports

If an athlete begins to actively "pump muscles", he must imagine how his heart muscle will change during training.

Influence static loads to the cardiovascular system

  • Strength exercises create maximum and prolonged tension in the muscles of the body, in which blood vessels are compressed. To push blood through them, it is necessary to create additional pressure - this is how hypertension appears as a result of training.
  • The heart muscle under static tension must contract with greater force in order to ensure normal blood flow. Constant training forms an increase in the myocardium (D-hypertrophy), it becomes more powerful and thicker, but its chambers - the atria and ventricles - shrink in volume and contain less blood. To pump all the blood, the muscle must contract more often. Tachycardia develops, increased heart rate (pulse 90 beats or more at rest).
  • Increase muscle mass requires large volumes of blood: for every 3 kg of muscle, oxygen is needed in the amount of 1 l / s. The heart needs extra effort to deliver blood to all muscle tissues. The increase in body weight is another reason for the increase in the myocardium and the frequency of its contractions.
  • An increase in the heart muscle is not accompanied by vasculature - the appearance of new blood vessels that feed the heart itself. It starves due to lack of oxygen - there are signs of ischemia.

Thus, even absolutely healthy people put their body at risk during strength training. An even greater danger is Gym for those with pathologies.

Diseases in which strength training is unacceptable

Bodybuilding is dangerous for people who have such abnormalities in the work of the cardiovascular system:

  • hypertension
  • heart failure - weak myocardial contractility;
  • insufficiency of heart valves, in which blood flow begins in the opposite direction;
  • congenital heart defects;
  • pathology (aneurysms, narrowing, thrombosis) of the coronary vessels;
  • inflammation of the myocardium;
  • violations of the rhythm of the heartbeat (attacks of tachycardia up to 200-250 beats / min.).

Hidden heart defects are detected during consultations with a cardiologist, instrumental studies (ECG, echocardioscopy) at rest and after exercise.

Symptoms of the first pathologies

A healthy heart during training can detect the first signs of deviation from normal functioning. Most often, athletes notice:

  • recurring chest pains;
  • interruptions in the heartbeat (extrasystoles);
  • increase in heart rate.

Pain syndrome is a sign of lack of oxygen, which is caused by a violation of blood circulation in the heart muscle itself. Pressing pain with radiating left hand and under the scapula - the first signs of coronary heart disease (CHD). The cause of the development of coronary artery disease may be high blood pressure due to exercise stress. Cardiac starvation gives rise to diseases such as angina pectoris, heart attack, cardiosclerosis. At the first pain in the chest, it is necessary to establish additional nutrition of the heart with the help of drugs.

Extrasystoles - interruptions in the work of the myocardium - may be the result of high physical exertion and do not pose a danger. But if they are associated with organic muscle damage, ventricular dysfunction or ischemia, then training should be stopped. Not every practicing cardiologist can understand all types of arrhythmias in an athlete, so you need to contact a sports doctor with such a problem.

An increase in heart rate is the result of incorrect loads in training. When an athlete works at maximum intensity, the heart rate (HR) reaches critical values ​​​​(180/200 beats per minute). At this speed, the muscle does not have time to relax (diastolic defect), which disrupts its nutrition. Due to the constant lack of oxygen, heart cells die, myocardial dystrophy develops, which can cause death.

The first symptoms of pathologies are a signal that the heart needs help, which should be provided competently.

Cardioprotectors used in bodybuilding

To avoid heart problems with large muscle mass and increased loads, bodybuilders need specially selected drugs. They are able to neutralize the negative impact of this sport.

Protein

Building muscle without concentrated protein - protein - is a burdensome process for the whole body. Kilograms of meat and liters of milk burden the stomach, make the cardiovascular system and excretory organs work hard. Most of natural food turns into adipose tissue, an increase in which is not always desirable for an athlete. The protein is completely absorbed by the body, breaks down into amino acids, which purposefully participate in the formation of muscle tissue. Latest Research found that increased protein intake was slightly associated with:

  • with manifestations of ischemia;
  • with a possible risk of hypertension;
  • to a small extent - with pathologies of the coronary vessels.

Such risks are inherent in the specifics of this sport. Perhaps protein, as a way to build muscle, plays an indirect role here.

According to other studies, the use whey protein affects the cardiovascular system only positively:

  • reduces the risk of heart disease by 8%;
  • reduces blood pressure within a day after taking;
  • prevents the accumulation of cholesterol and vascular sclerosis.

Moderate use of protein with a balanced diet cannot harm the body.

Beta blockers lower heart rate

Hypertension and tachycardia are inevitable companions of strength training. Beta-blockers are used to lower the heart rate. The drugs of this group act on β-adrenergic receptors of the heart muscle and block the action of adrenaline, which is released during increased physical activity. Benefits of beta blockers:

  • lowering blood pressure,
  • slowing down of the heart rate,
  • restoration of normal blood supply to the myocardium;
  • normalization of the pulse;
  • prevention of cardiac hypertrophy as a result of taking steroids and drugs that burn fat.

Popular beta blockers include:

  • Metoprolol - eliminates the manifestations of heart failure.
  • Bisoprolol - relieves symptoms of tachycardia, hypertension.
  • Carvedilol is a broad-spectrum drug: by restoring the normal rhythm of heart contractions and lowering blood pressure, it is able to expand peripheral vessels and improve blood supply to muscles. The antioxidant effect prevents sclerosis of the coronary vessels.

Reception of beta-blockers is also necessary when using fat-burning agents and anabolic steroids. The dosage and duration of use for each athlete are individual and are determined after a medical consultation.

Trimetazidine protects against hypoxia

Trimetazidine has an antianginal effect, it restores cells that have undergone oxygen starvation. The mechanism of action of the drug:

  • regulates energy metabolism at the cellular level;
  • restores the efficiency of cells that have undergone hypoxia;
  • provides a normal concentration of ATP - acid, which is energy basis for cells;
  • controls the functions of cell membranes, preventing pathological changes in the heart cells with a lack of nutrition.

Extreme loads in training put the heart on a starvation ration, so Trimetazidine is a must-have drug in a bodybuilder's arsenal. It increases the resistance of myocardial cells to hypoxia and allows you to increase the intensity of training without compromising the work of the heart. The daily dose of the drug is 40-60 mg. It is taken in parts in the morning and in the evening, one and a half to two hours before training.

Asparkam = Potassium + Magnesium

Potassium and magnesium are the most important trace elements that regulate the work of the heart. Their deficiency causes cardiac arrhythmia, convulsive phenomena in the myocardium and other muscles. Meanwhile, during periods of mass gain, a bodybuilder consumes a large amount of protein, and with it liquid, it is excreted from the body and washes out potassium and magnesium in the first place. The use of diuretics during drying also leads to their loss. A lot of potassium and magnesium is lost during training, when the athlete sweats profusely.

The deficiency of these metals is easily replenished by taking asparkam, which supplies magnesium and potassium ions, eliminates convulsive phenomena and tachycardia, and increases efficiency. The drug is taken for a month, 1-2 tablets three times a day during periods of weight gain and on drying.

Herbal adaptogens

Adaptogens of plant origin help to mobilize the body for training with intense loads, increase its endurance and resistance. The greatest effect in bodybuilding have radiola pink and Leuzea.

  • Rhodiola rosea (golden, pink root) tones the heart muscle, other groups of muscle tissue, both during periods of intense exercise and during recovery. Its regular use acts on the mitochondria of cells, stimulating oxygen metabolism. An alcoholic tincture of Rhodiola is recommended for increasing stamina and physical activity at all stages of the sport mode. Dosage: 7-10 drops three times a day before meals, take for a month.
  • Leuzea safflower is distinguished by anabolic activity, i.e. accelerates protein synthesis and promotes muscle growth. Levzei extract is taken 20-30 drops once or twice a day (but not in the evening) for 2-3 weeks - during the period of increased stress. Then there is a break of 10-15 days.

With increased pressure, tachycardia, arrhythmias, it is useful to use hawthorn extract. It lowers cholesterol levels and keeps the walls of blood vessels clean, relieves stress and ensures normal sleep.

Vitamins and dietary supplements

In the nutrition of bodybuilders, protein foods dominate, so vitamin deficiency may develop over time if additional vitamin preparations are not taken. Taking one or two vitamins will not solve the problem - vitamin complexes are needed. The following drugs are optimal for muscle growth and strength training:

  • Complivit - used with increasing loads;
  • Alphabet - helps to restore the body; applied during the period of weight gain;
  • Vitrum Performance - promotes the development of endurance;
  • Dynamizan - provides support during prolonged physical exertion.

The complexes are supplemented by individual vitamins, which should be taken on the recommendation of a doctor.

To dietary supplements that strengthen the work of the heart during strength exercises, include the amino acid Omega-3 and L-carnitine.

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that the body cannot synthesize on its own. Its deficiency will not allow an athlete to gain weight or effectively lose weight, while reducing the efficiency of metabolic processes, increasing the risk of heart disease, and increasing blood pressure. During the period of weight gain, the athlete needs 2-3 g of Omega-3 daily, and when losing weight - 3-4 g.

L-carnitine is a substance that the body is able to synthesize itself. Its lack for bodybuilders can be sensitive.

  • This substance transfers fatty acids to the mitochondria of cells, where they break down with the release of energy, therefore, in sports, L-carnitine is taken additionally to enhance fat burning.
  • The supplement promotes muscle building.
  • The antioxidant effect of L-carnitine protects the myocardium from destruction, stimulates the metabolism in the heart muscle.
  • It prevents the formation of cholesterol, which is the cause of coronary atherosclerosis.

The daily dose of the supplement is 2 g, it is taken in short courses (no more than 2 weeks) so that the body does not reduce and stop the production of its own L-carnitine.

Comprehensive heart protection power sports

An approximate combined course for a bodybuilder might look like this.

In addition to drugs, cardio training helps to strengthen the heart in power sports. They normalize blood pressure, increase the elasticity of the myocardium. During dynamic loads, the muscles of the whole body, contracting, increase blood flow, helping the heart. The optimum result is given running training every other day, which last from 15 minutes to an hour. You should run no more than 15-30 km per week, maximum heart rate– 130-140 strokes / min.

There is a concern that bodybuilding or a large set of muscle mass negatively affects the heart. I am certified personal trainer and part-time bodybuilder. My cholesterol and blood pressure are within normal limits. Skeptics insist that the harmful effects of bodybuilding on the heart with excess muscle mass in the future will make itself felt.

I would like to understand how these people came up with the idea that bodybuilding is bad for the heart, because they have not done any research to confirm this myth. The use of steroids, which is common among bodybuilders, can adversely affect the heart. However, this article only applies to natural bodybuilders and other athletes who build muscle in a purely natural way.

Are there studies showing that lifting weights is good for the heart? Yes, I have!

A report published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that lifting weights improves heart muscle health. Research by author PhD Barry Franklin states: “We now have a clearer understanding that weight training can significantly attenuate several factors that influence heart disease risk, including lipid and cholesterol levels, blood pressure, obesity and glucose metabolism.

You might be thinking, “Okay, this is all about lifting weights. But what about bodybuilding and building big muscle mass?” In the minutes of the meeting of the American Heart Association Scientific Council, where weight lifting was discussed, the following is recommended: one set of exercises of 8-15 repetitions, including 8-10 different standard exercises, 2-3 times a week.

They will train much more than indicated above, especially with regard to the number of approaches. However, if the recommendations of the ACA protocol are followed at the most intensive level, then a person (if he is genetically predisposed and adheres to a maintenance diet) can become quite muscular. If a person chooses to lift weights, which makes doing 8-15 reps hard enough, then they don't intend to build muscle as if they were going to do it by choosing resistance exercises, which makes 8-15 reps nearly impossible.

In addition, the rest time between exercise series, which is not established in the ACA report, plays an important role in muscle development. No matter how diligently a person adheres to this protocol, he will not become ridiculously big, although he can become quite muscular, enough to make it skeptical that all these muscles are hurting his heart.

Other studies show that weight training lowers resting blood pressure (Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association). Lead author Dr. George A. Kelly suggests, "Even if this reduction in blood pressure is modest, it may reduce an individual's risk of developing heart disease and angina."

Although these studies do not analyze bodybuilding regimens, anyone can conclude that several steps strength training on the way to the world of bodybuilding will not lead to heart damage. And why should they lead to this?

One person on a bodybuilding forum said that he heard from someone that a large amount of muscle increases body weight, and that as a result this additional weight leads to a deformity of the heart ... the heart muscle is stretched due to overweight whether it's muscle mass or fat mass. According to this theory, taller people have a greater risk of developing heart disease, since generally tall people are heavier than short ones.

Of course, being tall is not a risk factor for developing heart disease! Body fat is the main risk factor for heart disease. Franklin said: "The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate, and the more calories you can burn every day." Competitive bodybuilders and those who are at heart have a low percentage of fat relative to total weight body.

This makes all the details of them more visible. muscle structure, even in the weakest bodybuilders creating the illusion a large number muscles. Low body fat (in the "athletic" range) does not lead to heart problems. Franklin adds that for normal, healthy adults with a low risk of heart disease, lifting weights is safe.

Who shouldn't do regular weight lifting?

Franklin considers people with unstable angina, uncontrolled arrhythmia and uncontrolled blood pressure. However, those who criticize bodybuilding or excessive muscle mass believe that these activities are bad for the heart of healthy people or can become toxic over time.

According to the American Heart Association, there are the following risks for the development of heart disease: obesity, smoking, hypertension, high levels of "bad" cholesterol, hyperlipidemia (excessive levels of fat in the blood), diabetes, constant mental stress, abuse of fatty foods, hereditary predisposition and ... . lack of physical activity.

Other risks of developing heart disease include a body mass index over 25, constant elevated level blood sugar (prediabetes), insomnia, sleep duration at night of 6 hours or less or 9 hours or more, sleep apnea syndrome (sudden cessation of breathing during sleep). Does a bodybuilder or a person with large muscle mass fit these signs?

Large muscle mass does not lead to any of these risk conditions.

Men and women who work hard to increase muscle mass are very conscious about the issue of healthy eating. Although they consider cheating with their food intake, the bulk of their diet remains correct, so all their food is more than refined, with significant restrictions on white sugar, white flour products, saturated fats, trans fats and other ingredients harmful to health.

Regarding the idea that the heart is deformed by body weight with large muscle mass, understand that the hearts of such a person are well prepared as a result of bodybuilding, as well as heart exercises that go along with the whole lifestyle of a bodybuilder.

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Distilling blood regularly through the whole body, the heart creates such a monstrous pressure that it can push a stream of blood to a length of 9 meters. It is incredibly resilient: constantly and without rest, it shrinks, shrinks, and shrinks - up to 40 billion times a year.

Such a fantastically large load is not in vain and is the reason for the very gloomy statistics of cardiovascular diseases in the modern world. "Motors" very often either do not use correctly, or destroy the "motor resource" by working in the wrong mode. Meanwhile, it is very easy to set up the work of the heart and train it.

A trained heart improves functionality and endurance. There is a person who is very strong physically, and after 30-60 seconds of work he is all sweaty and starts to choke, although there seems to be strength in the muscles. This is especially common among those guys who are engaged in martial arts. You look, it seems like a healthy person, and in a minute all red and with an open mouth - take it and do whatever you want with it. Why is that?

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Cordially vascular system and endurance

The heart is, in a broad sense, an electrical "pump" that constantly drives blood through the pipes (vessels) of the body. This system, in general, is why it is called the cardiovascular system. Its task is to supply all the cells and organs of the body with the necessary amount of oxygen and other nutrients necessary for life. Once you understand this, you will be able to see and realize several dependencies that are important for understanding the effective work of the heart:

  • The larger the body, the more blood is needed for it.
  • The more blood you need, the more your heart needs, or the more it needs to beat.
  • The larger the heart, the more blood it pumps at a time (more oxygen at a time).
  • The smaller the heart, the more often one must contract to pump the required volume of blood.
  • The larger the heart, the less frequently it must contract to pump the required volume of blood.
  • The less often the heart contracts, the less it wears out over a lifetime.

For bodybuilders or other amateurs power types sports, this is especially important: in their case, the situation is complicated by a large amount of muscle mass. Every extra 10 kg. muscles require about 3 liters of supplemental oxygen per minute.

In an ordinary person, 1 liter of blood carries an average of 160 ml. oxygen. If you multiply this amount of oxygen by the amount of blood pumped per minute (which, by the way, depends on the heart rate), you will get the amount of oxygen delivered by the blood per minute. If the load is very intense (180-190 heartbeats per minute), then most average people will get about 4 liters of oxygen per minute.


Source: depositphotos.com

Now imagine two twin brothers on a treadmill. One weighs 70 kg, and the second is a jock and weighs 80 kg. Here they run. For the first one, 4 liters of oxygen is quite enough for a comfortable run, but for the second (“pitching”), for comfort, you need to pump not 4, but 6-7 liters of blood (to nourish the muscles). And the heart (if it is the same size as that of a brother, and contracts at the same speed), will not have time to satisfy all the organs with enough oxygen. Kachek will quickly begin to choke and will be forced to slow down.

How to fix it? Either reduce oxygen consumption (lose weight), or increase the volume of the heart and blood distilled at a time. This, in fact, is the meaning of training the heart - to increase its internal volume.

  • The larger the volume of the heart, the more nutrients the heart receives at a time.
  • The larger the volume of the heart, the less often it can contract.
  • The less often the heart contracts (works) - the less it wears out.

L and D - cardiac hypertrophy

Pay attention, it is said - an increase in the volume, and not the size of the heart. These are very important things. Because the first is very useful, and the second, on the contrary, is very harmful. The fact is that cardiac hypertrophy can be good and bad. When the increase in volume occurs due to the stretching of the walls of the heart muscle (L-hypertrophy) - this is very good: it allows you to pump more blood at a time - which is what we need. But when the heart grows due to the thickening of the walls of the heart muscle (D - hypertrophy) - this is extremely bad: the so-called myocardial hypertrophy due to a diastolic defect. We will not fool our heads with terminology, we will only dwell on the fact that this causes a heart attack.


Source: depositphotos.com

How to train the heart? How to achieve good hypertrophy and avoid bad?

Everything is extremely simple. You do not need to work in a pulse close to the maximum (180-190 beats). You need to work for a long time and often at an average heart rate (110-140) beats per minute. For the majority, a pulse of 120-130 beats per minute is most often ideal. An ordinary healthy person at rest has a pulse of 70 beats per minute. When such a person begins to do some kind of cyclic long-term work (training with iron, running or walking fast), his pulse begins to increase in order to supply all the organs of the body with an increased amount of oxygen due to the load. Here his pulse reached 130 beats per minute. A person in this situation can stabilize the load and continue to work without increasing the intensity. If he continues this training for an hour, then the "flexibility" of his heart will begin to improve. Muscles will distill a huge amount of blood through the heart and it will begin to gradually stretch. If you train like this often (from 3 times a week for 60 minutes), then over time the heart will stretch and its volume will increase significantly. Accordingly, the volume of blood pumped in one beat of the pulse will also increase. Along with it, endurance, and the number of heartbeats at rest will decrease.


Source: depositphotos.com

stretch heart

How much can you "stretch" the heart? Twice is very likely. 50% guaranteed. In an ordinary person, most often the volume of the heart is about 600 ml. A trained athlete has 1200 ml. is a fairly common result. Cool athletes (MSMK skiers, runners) have 1500-1800 ml. - the level of the champion of the Olympic Games.

How fast can you "stretch" the heart? For a pronounced result, half a year (6 months) is enough. With three workouts a week for 60 minutes, in half a year the heart is stretched by 30-40%. If you can do these workouts every day, then count on a heart increase of 50% or more. In general, there is a very simple rule here: the more time during the week the heart works at the desired pulse rate (120-130), the more and faster it stretches. With such a "light" training regimen, there are no harmful changes in the heart. In this mode, due to the constant pumping of a large amount of blood, it is forced to “stretch” in volume. Be ready: over time, due to addiction, you will have to increase the intensity of classes in order to stay in the desired zone (120-130 heartbeats).