Marathon running makes arteries younger and lowers blood pressure

The new year means it's time to set resolutions for 2020, and new research led by UCL and Barts Health NHS Trust suggests running a marathon for the first time could have several health benefits. The study, published by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that for first-time marathon runners, training and completion of the marathon resulted in reductions in blood pressure and aortic stiffening in healthy participants that were equivalent to a four-year reduction in vascular age. The greatest benefits were seen in older, slower male marathon runners with higher baseline blood pressure. Dr Charlotte Manisty (UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science & Barts Heart Centre) said: "As clinicians are meeting with patients in the new year, making a goal-oriented exercise training recommendation-such as signing up for a marathon or fun-run-may be a good motivator for our patients to keep active. Our study highlights the importance of lifestyle modifications to slow the risks associated with aging, especially as it appears to never be too late as evidenced by our older, slower runners." Arterial stiffening is a normal part of aging, but it also increases cardiovascular risk in otherwise healthy individuals by contributing to increased pulse pressure and ventricular overload, which are associated with dementia and cardiovascular and kidney diseases, even in the absence of plaque in the arteries. While blood pressure medication can modify arterial stiffness in established heart disease, more cardiovascular events occur in individuals without diagnosed high blood pressure.