Exactly how healthy are olympic athletes?

Question

I'm of the view that too much of anything is bad for you. I'm wondering about the top olympic athletes who push their bodies to their limits. Can this really be good for you? Do such athletes usually make it on to a healthy old age? I knew a guy who was super fit, that one day just dropped dead in a gym.

Answer 1

Basically their bodies will reach old age at an accelerated pace. However careful they are and however well structured and planned their training and physical care regime is they will more than likely experience problems with muscles, joints, bones etc at a much younger age than someone who exercises moderately. There is a suggestion life expectancy is shorter to as they simply 'wear themselves out' faster.

Answer 2

Yes, I think you are right, elite athletes are often not all that healthy. For one, they often suffer from sports related injuries which in turn can lead to arthritis of the affected joints at an relatively early age. Furthermore, heavy exercise decreases the ability of the immune system to fight of infections. Also, isometric exercise (eg. weight lifting) is known to increased blood pressure, a major factor in cardiovascular disease (and in rare cases brain hemorrhage and stroke which is probably what happened to the guy that dropped dead in the gym).

Answer 3

Given that many top athletes could be taking stuff to enhance their performance, this stuff isn't that healthy in the long run. So I don't think they are that healthier and are likely to suffer a bit in their old age.

Their diet is geared towards maximum performance in the short run, not on maintenance of the system in the long run. That said, most of us, our diet isn't that great for the short run or the long run.

So I guess athletes who do not take extra stuff to enhance their short term performance, and who maintain healthy habits as they age, are likely to be healthier than the rest of us.

Answer 4

Whooaaaaaaaaaaaaa there. isometric exercise is indeed known to increase blood pressure and is not prescribed to patients with hypertension. But isometric exercise is not just weight training, it is when you just hold a heavy weight in one position for a period of time. Isotonic weight training, coupled with correct breathing technique (breath out on exertion) as carried out by most people in the gym (ie lifting a weight) does not raise blood pressure at all

Answer 5

i have it on good knowledge that some althetes are not that healthy.
for example if you spend your life running (as a woman) you are likely to shut down your reproductive organs and therefore stop your chances of having kids at any age.

Answer 6

i think they are healthier than average, however its true about 2 much of anything, they just have to find a balance

Answer 7

Just about...

Answer 8

very hea;lthy other wise they cannot be atheletes can they6.