Is interval training (HIIT) better for my heart than regular cardio?
For cardiac patients in rehabilitation, HIIT produces greater fitness gains on average than regular cardio, but this does not apply to all heart conditions. If you have a heart problem, never simply start HIIT without medical advice first.
In people with stable coronary heart disease, HIIT in cardiac rehabilitation produces greater fitness gains than regular moderate exercise. After 8 weeks, maximum oxygen uptake (a measure of your endurance capacity) improved by just over 2 ml/kg/min with HIIT versus 1.3 ml/kg/min with regular cardio. That may sound small, but such a difference is clinically meaningful and has been demonstrated with strong statistical confidence.
The same does not apply to every cardiac patient. In a specific form of heart failure in which the pumping capacity of the heart is relatively normal, there was no demonstrable difference between HIIT and regular cardio after 3 and 12 months. In fact, in these patients neither form of training reached the threshold for a clinically meaningful improvement. HIIT is therefore not a universal winner across all heart conditions.
After a stroke, HIIT again produced greater fitness gains after 12 weeks: an improvement of almost 3.5 ml/kg/min versus 1.7 ml/kg/min with regular cardio. Interestingly, this advantage was no longer demonstrable 8 weeks after training had stopped, suggesting that the effect is only maintained for as long as you keep up the more intensive training.
On the question of safety, several randomised studies show that HIIT is well tolerated by cardiac patients under supervision. Nevertheless, in the studies involving heart failure patients, cases of acute coronary syndrome occurred across all training groups on occasion, indicating that the risk is never completely zero. European guidelines emphasise that starting HIIT is only appropriate after a careful assessment of your cardiac risk and preferably under supervision, especially if you have a heart condition.
For healthy individuals or people with overweight, HIIT also improves insulin sensitivity and fitness. Whether this exceeds what regular cardio achieves in those groups is less well supported by evidence than it is for cardiac patients in rehabilitation.
All claims are based on randomised studies and a review article in specific patient populations (coronary heart disease, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, stroke patients). No studies in completely healthy, active individuals without an underlying condition.
Is a high homocysteine level bad for my heart?
Elevated homocysteine is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, but whether you can reduce that risk by lowering homocysteine with folic acid has not been proven on the basis of these studies. Have an elevated value discussed with your general practitioner.
Does climbing stairs actually do anything for my heart?
Yes, climbing stairs genuinely does something for your heart. Climbing roughly 50 to 100 steps a day is associated with fewer heart attacks, strokes and irregular heart rhythms, though this is based on observational studies, not experiments.
Is a calcium score of my heart worth doing?
For people aged 40 to 75 in a grey zone regarding statins, a calcium score is a well-supported tool for making a considered decision about medication together with your doctor.
Is coffee good or bad for your heart?
For most healthy adults, three to four filtered cups per day are associated with a beneficial effect on the heart and blood vessels. Pregnant women are an important exception: for them, the maximum is one to two cups per day.
Is the Mediterranean diet really good for your heart, and why?
For people with an elevated cardiovascular risk, the Mediterranean diet is the best-supported dietary choice currently available. Both large trials and dozens of population studies confirm a lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
Does my heart rate variability (HRV) tell me anything about my health?
A higher HRV is associated with better health and greater resilience. Slow breathing is the most accessible and best-supported way to work on that yourself.