BlogsExercise Can Be Too Much of a Good Thing for Some The
benefits of exercise are clear, but working out could worsen
cardiovascular risk factors for some people. Everyone tells you
to exercise—the government, your doctor, your workout partner,
and most of all yourself. For most people, the benefits of
exercise are clear, but for some, working out may have
unexpected harmful effects. Researchers reviewed six previous
studies and found that eight to 13 percent of people saw one of
their cardiovascular risk factors worsen after exercise. Seven
percent saw this effect for two or more risk factors together.
It’s long been thought that exercise decreases the risk of
cardiovascular disease—such as heart disease or stroke—by
improving blood pressure and the levels of “good” cholesterol,
triglycerides, and insulin. The new review, published in PLoS
One, showed that this is the case for most people. For a small
group, however, exercise is not all good. The harmful effects
remained even after researchers took into ac