title: Cardiovascular function is better in veteran football players than age-matched untrained elderly healthy men.
abstract: The aim of the study was to determine whether lifelong football training may improve cardiovascular function, physical fitness, and body composition. Our subjects were 17 male veteran football players (VPG; 68.1 ± 2.1 years) and 26 healthy age-matched untrained men who served as a control group (CG; 68.2 ± 3.2 years). Examinations included measurements of cardiac function, microvascular endothelial function [reactive hyperemic index (RHI)], maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max), and body composition. In VPG, left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic volume was 20% larger (P < 0.01) and LV ejection fraction was higher (P < 0.001). Tissue Doppler imaging revealed an augmented LV longitudinal displacement, i.e., LV shortening of 21% (P < 0.001) and longitudinal 2D strain was 12% higher (P < 0.05), in VPG. In VPG, resting heart rate was lower (6 bpm, P < 0.05), and VO2max was higher (18%, P < 0.05). In addition, RHI was 21% higher (P < 0.05) in VPG. VPG also had lower body mass index (P < 0.05), body fat percentage, total body fat mass, android fat percentage, and gynoid fat percentage (all P < 0.01). Lifelong participation in football training is associated with better LV systolic function, physical fitness, microvascular function, and a healthier body composition. Overall, VPG have better cardiovascular function compared with CG, which may reduce their cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Copenhagen Centre for Team Sport and Health, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Cardiology, Gentofte Hospital, Gentofte, Denmark.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Randers
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hornstrup
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bangsbo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Krustrup
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000368:Aged; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002319:Cardiovascular System; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004452:Echocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012916:Soccer / Q000502:physiology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: echocardiography; endurance training; peripheral arterial tonometry; soccer; veteran athletes