Heart Health in Denver (live, moving, train)

[cookiepuss]

Here's something I'm curious about as someone who lives far from Colorado. Is the high altitude in Denver supposed to be good for your heart, bad for your heart or does it make no difference - just something to get used to?

[Mike from back east]

For most people it's just something they acclimate to in a few days or weeks, sometimes a bit longer.

If there are no known underlying health issues, it shouldn't be an issue; millions live here just fine.

[cookiepuss]

I was wondering if it can actually make your heart stronger like someone who does a cardio workout several times a week.

[WI2CA2CO]

I would think that's a valid point about heart health considering all the world class cyclists that train in the area. I believe there was an article in 5280 magazine that addressed that within the last few months.

[BarryK123]

The reason they train here is the natural doping that occurs. That is, the body senses the hypoxia and in response, produces EPO, which leads to an increased red blood cell count.

Take those extra red blood cells back to sea level and you have an advantage in that your blood can carry more oxygen to the muscles, at least for a few weeks.

[denverian]

I know I feel very sharp and energetic when I travel to low altitudes. I love to work out too... and can lift more weight. But it only lasts a couple days for me.

[gooberlx]

Over time I think the differences on the heart muscle itself would be negligible in athletes. As mentioned, the most substantial effect are the changes in the blood and some other cellular processes to deliver the required oxygen supply.

Whether training at altitude or sea level, a heart pumping away at 160bpm is putting roughly the same work in to moving the same volume of blood through the vasculature.

[Wardendresden]

When we first moved to Colorado in 1990, I got ill in the first six weeks there. I went to a physician who took a blood sample to test in his office. In a few minutes he came back and said, "You're not from here are you?" And I told him that indeed, we had just moved there from Kentucky and asked how he knew that. He replied, "You have about 15% fewer red blood cells than someone who has lived in high country." I asked him if I would ever get the additional blood cells and he told me it would take as long as six months, but, yes, I would.

The strain early on for the heart is in not having enough red blood cells to capture and carry more oxygen to all of the body. If there is not enough red blood cells, the heart works harder trying to send blood faster all over.

You will adapt.

I'm a flatlander again, and walk about 2 miles every day. But when we go back to visit our son and his family in Denver, I'm huffing and puffing before I've gone a hundred yards.