Yes, fit people, including athletes, can absolutely have high blood pressure (hypertension), as fitness doesn't provide complete immunity due to factors like genetics, age, intense training types, or underlying conditions. While regular exercise reduces risk, conditions like inherited hypertension, stress, diet, or even specific sports (like weightlifting) can elevate blood pressure in fit individuals, requiring screening and management.
Genetics, body composition, and food may cause hypertension.
Being an athlete does not preclude you from these factors. However, the way blood pressure is measured has a role. People could be experiencing false positives.
One-third of the high school, college and professional athletes who were screened by the Stanford sports cardiology clinic register as having high blood pressure, Stanford researchers have found. These people are young and fit, with exercise habits that put the rest of us to shame.
A normal blood pressure reading for most adults is below 120/80 mm Hg. Blood pressure that's too high raises your risk for heart disease. But blood pressure that's very low can also cause issues. Seeing a provider for yearly blood pressure checks can be lifesaving.
Remember that exercise is an essential piece of heart health, but high blood pressure can persist despite daily workouts. To find out what's contributing to your high blood pressure and get a personalized treatment plan to take back control, talk to Dr.
If you have too much sodium or too little potassium in your diet, you may develop elevated blood pressure. Tobacco use. Smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco or being around smoke (secondhand smoke) can increase blood pressure. Drinking too much alcohol.
For most people, the answer is yes. If you have high blood pressure, you should be able to be more active quite safely. But to be on the safe side, it's always a good idea to speak to your doctor or nurse before you start any new physical activity.
A study of 2,733 elite athletes revealed that 34.3% had blood pressure readings of 140/90 mmHg or greater.
6 Silent Symptoms of High Blood Pressure
Anxiety doesn't cause long-term high blood pressure. But bouts of anxiety can trigger temporary rises in blood pressure. Temporary rises in blood pressure that happen often, such as every day, can damage the blood vessels, heart and kidneys. This is the same type of damage seen in people with long-term hypertension.
These relationships were recently confirmed in a multi-ethnic study of young and middle-aged adults, which demonstrated that both skeletal muscle mass and body fat independently associate with higher systolic BP(22).
Legendary US swimmer Michael Phelps is the most successful Olympian of all time – he had a resting heart rate of less than 40 beats per minute. Regular moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise makes the heart stronger and more efficient.
"I had blood pouring from my nose and ears - even 20 minutes after the lift my heart rate was still over 160 and my estimated blood pressure was 300 over 180, " says Hall.
Although overweight and obesity are among the strongest risk factors for hypertension,2 hypertension is fairly common in individuals with normal weight. One study reported an age-adjusted prevalence of 20.5% for a body mass index (BMI) of <25 kg/m2 in 2003 to 2004 for a US population.
For those who have hypertension, regular physical activity can bring blood pressure down to safer levels. Some examples of aerobic exercise that can help lower blood pressure include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and dancing. Another helpful type of exercise is high-intensity interval training.
Research shows many adults start medication between the ages of 45 and 65. However, younger adults may need treatment earlier if they have severe hypertension or other risks. Your doctor will recommend starting based on consistent high readings, family history, and your overall cardiovascular health.
It's important to note that you could have hypertension even if you feel fine because it generally doesn't cause symptoms.
Medical professionals call high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, the silent killer because it can go undetected for a long period of time and leads to death. Most people who have high blood pressure do not have any symptoms; testing is the only way to determine if someone has it.
High blood pressure (hypertension) is often a "silent killer" with few symptoms, but when severe (hypertensive crisis), warning signs include severe headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, vision changes, dizziness, nosebleeds, confusion, numbness, weakness, and a pounding sensation in the chest, neck, or ears, all requiring immediate medical attention.
Overtraining can also cause a rise in resting blood pressure, which you can track at home.
Primary hypertension: This means your genetics, family history and age are the primary causes of your high blood pressure. Secondary hypertension: This means there's an identifiable cause, like a medical condition, medication or addictive substance, that is making your blood pressure high.
In general, aerobic exercise training reduces mean systolic BP (SBP) by about 2 mm Hg to 7 mm Hg, with the greatest reduction in hypertensive patients. Moderate intensity resistance training with lower weights and higher repetition regimens can also lower mean SBP by about 3 mm Hg to 6 mm Hg.
A low vitamin D level seems to increase the risk of heart disease and death due to heart disease. Too little vitamin D level may make you more likely to have high blood pressure and diabetes.
It can affect all age groups: children, young adults, adults and older adults. High blood pressure quietly damages blood vessels and leads to serious health problems. There is no cure. But using medications as prescribed and making lifestyle changes can improve your quality of life and control your blood pressure.
At the beginning, measure your blood pressure at least twice daily. Take it first in the morning before eating or taking any medicine. Take it again in the evening. Each time you measure, take two or three readings to make sure your results are the same.