Recently, I have noticed a rise in my blood pressure. In the past, I had usually been 110 or so over 70-75. In the past week or two, I have been 125-130 over 80-88. I am in my mid-forties, and am in the best shape of my life, period. I am in no way overweight, and am very lean. I am currently running 40-50 miles per week, which for me is fairly high.
The higher blood pressure does not make sense to me.
Head to the doctor and get it checked out. It is probably primary hypertension, which commonly occurs in men in their 40s without any identifiable cause. But there are a long list of other issues and ailments for which hypertension is a warning sign. The biggest issues with high blood pressure is that it can cause hardening of the arteries and heart attack. As a runner, you are putting your cardiovascular system under a lot of stress. Just as you would not want to train on a bad Achilles, you would not want to train with a cardiovascular risk. As foggy as recent running and mortality studies have been, I think they do send a warning that distance running does not necessarily protect you from heart disease and running on a compromised cardiovascular system may be a big gamble.
outsiderunner wrote:
Recently, I have noticed a rise in my blood pressure. In the past, I had usually been 110 or so over 70-75. In the past week or two, I have been 125-130 over 80-88. I am in my mid-forties, and am in the best shape of my life, period. I am in no way overweight, and am very lean. I am currently running 40-50 miles per week, which for me is fairly high.
The higher blood pressure does not make sense to me.
If you had your BP taken at a doctor's office, you might have 'white coat hypertension' meaning you were nervous and that raised your BP transiently. Or you may have taken your BP after having jogged or climbed upstairs. One BP reading isn't enough to mean something meaningful has changed. Take it again sometime soon and see what it does.
If your BP is persistently above where you're used to seeing it, then:
1. Stop all alcohol consumption, it raises BP. On the off chance you use cocaine, also stop using that.
2. Reduce the sodium in your diet. Bread and canned foods contain tons of it, something that people don't often know.
3. You say you are very lean. Have you recently gained any weight? Weight gain of any kind can raise BP.
4. Follow up with your doctor and see what your BP is doing with these lifestyle interventions.
5. If your pressure ever gets above 140/80 or so, take doctor's advice and start antihypertensive medications. Don't be one of those people who says, "I'm not really a medicine type." Lowering BP through medications has been proven to prevent heart attacks and strokes. It prolongs your healthy years.
Failing all of this, rare causes of high BP include renal artery stenosis/atherosclerosis and hyperaldosteronism (Conn's syndrome or otherwise). Dr. Google will explain these should you be curious. You almost certainly do not have these.
Don't stress yet, you're probably fine!
Thanks for the input.
No, I have not gained weight recently. If anything, I have lost a pound or two, as summer running tends to do this to me. Thus, I am a naturally thin person that gets a tad lighter when training in summer.
I do not drink alcohol and have never used street drugs. Also, I eat natural/organic foods (no hydrog, high fructose corn syrup, chemicals, preservatives, etc.).
This blood pressure thing boggles my mind.
Ibuprofen increases blood pressure. I wasn't aware of this and regularly took "Vitamin I" while in serious training. Now I have to take blood pressure meds since untreated by BP is about 145/90
DougC wrote:
Ibuprofen increases blood pressure. I wasn't aware of this and regularly took "Vitamin I" while in serious training. Now I have to take blood pressure meds since untreated by BP is about 145/90
Clarification. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and other NSAIDs (Aleve = naproxen, Mobic = meloxicam, aspirin) are toxic to kidneys. If taken regularly over a period of time, they will cause kidney damage, which in turn raises BP. Unfortunately the effect is permanent, so avoid high dose NSAIDs.
outsiderunner wrote:
Recently, I have noticed a rise in my blood pressure. In the past, I had usually been 110 or so over 70-75. In the past week or two, I have been 125-130 over 80-88. I am in my mid-forties, and am in the best shape of my life, period. I am in no way overweight, and am very lean. I am currently running 40-50 miles per week, which for me is fairly high.
The higher blood pressure does not make sense to me.
Make sure all your affairs are in order.
Good point, Gloomy...
Perhaps I am stressing about an upcoming big race? I am training for the Army Ten Miler. I did not think nerves could lead tho this. Yes, I am feeling some pressure, but, overall, I feel good...and my running has been excellent.
How many readings do you take and how often? I often get "white coat" syndrome when I go to the docs. My first reading is often high, 140/90 or so, but as I sit there for a few minutes and multiple readings are taken, it nearly always falls into the normal range. I also notice on the days of my long runs, my pressure is below normal for several hours (110/72 or so) after my run. BP does get higher through out the day and caffeine and other stimulants can effect it. Also make sure you are getting plenty of potassium as this can help keep it in the good range.
outsiderunner wrote:
Recently, I have noticed a rise in my blood pressure. In the past, I had usually been 110 or so over 70-75. In the past week or two, I have been 125-130 over 80-88. I am in my mid-forties, and am in the best shape of my life, period. I am in no way overweight, and am very lean. I am currently running 40-50 miles per week, which for me is fairly high.
The higher blood pressure does not make sense to me.
Blood pressure under 140/90 is not high. There's not much gained by lowering it if it already is under 140/90.
Here are some things that cause high blood pressure.
doctors
antibiotics
caffeine
transfats
high fat diet
Doctors and modern antibiotics are the most severe and dangerous. Modern synthetic antibiotics have been designed to stay in your system a long time and cause problems. It can take months of cleansings to get them out of your system. The habit of doctors is hard to get rid of as well. The best way is to stop seeing them cold turkey, to never return, and don't read anything about them, which can trigger reoccurances.
Caffeine causes long term hardening of the arteries, thereby high blood pressure, throws thyroid hormones out of whack, and wears out the adrenals. Transfats are solid at room temperature and take time to get out of your system. It is best to never ingest any transfats. Excess fats in the diet causes clogged arteries, high blood pressure and heart disease.
Excellent input here--thanks.
My most recent readings (this week) have been at the blood pressure station at my local supermarket's pharmacy.
My pulse remains excelent, upper 50s and some 60s.
The supermarket machines can be very inaccurate. You should buy your own and take the readings at home. The home machines are faily inexpensive. Your resting pulse seems a bit high. For a fit runner, it should be more like upper 40s to low 50s. Granted there are variations. Maybe you are normally on the high end of fit people.
Interesting...I had thought upper 40s would be a tad too low.
Yes, home measuring has been proven to be the most accurate method for blood pressure monitoring.
J.R. wrote:
Here are some things that cause high blood pressure.
doctors
antibiotics
caffeine
transfats
high fat diet
Doctors and modern antibiotics are the most severe and dangerous. Modern synthetic antibiotics have been designed to stay in your system a long time and cause problems. It can take months of cleansings to get them out of your system. The habit of doctors is hard to get rid of as well. The best way is to stop seeing them cold turkey, to never return, and don't read anything about them, which can trigger reoccurances.
Caffeine causes long term hardening of the arteries, thereby high blood pressure, throws thyroid hormones out of whack, and wears out the adrenals. Transfats are solid at room temperature and take time to get out of your system. It is best to never ingest any transfats. Excess fats in the diet causes clogged arteries, high blood pressure and heart disease.
All that, and you forgot to mention SALT ?!?!
Unfreaking real!
post script wrote:
All that, and you forgot to mention SALT ?!?!
Unfreaking real!
I'm not convinced that salt is a cause of high blood pressure, though I avoid salt for other issues that it has.
1. Head Aches
2. Sweating
3. Breathlessness
4. Chest Pain
5. Dizziness.
I would recommend you to see your doctor immediately if you are facing a combination of these symptoms, as it may be dangerous.
70+ observations
salt even in restaurant food - get your own monitor & check it numerous times a day both arms - the recommended numbers jumped up a few years ago (vs Europe) = a lot of new people went on meds $$$$ this change could be legit but the older I get the more I doubt it!
RIP: D3 All-American Frank Csorba - who ran 13:56 in March - dead
RENATO can you talk about the preparation of Emile Cairess 2:06
Running for Bowerman Track Club used to be cool now its embarrassing
Hats off to my dad. He just ran a 1:42 Half Marathon and turns 75 in 2 months!
Great interview with Steve Cram - says Jakob has no chance of WRs this year
