Weight Training Increases Arterial Stiffness

Lifting weights can eventually damage cardiovascular health by hardening blood vessel walls and decreasing their aptitude to stretch and contract as the heart pumps blood through them. Even a single weight workout increases blood vessel stiffness. Weight-trained bodybuilders have stiffer arteries than people who don’t lift weights. This can boost the load on the heart when it tries to pump blood. Heart experts are concerned that years of building extreme muscles could have long-lasting effects on the blood vessels and heart. High blood pressure from weight training might also obstruct blood vessel metabolism and increase the threat of deadly blood vessel wall tears called aneurisms.

Japanese researchers found that upper-body weight training exercises increased arterial stiffness, while lower-body exercises didn’t. But it is just one study. In essence it is a known fact that stronger people live longer than weaker people. Also, a thorough review specialized sources failed to render even a solitary case study of a middle-aged or older adult athlete who died from an aneurism while weight training.