Your DNA: Sports & Resting Heart Rate

Resting heart rate:

Resting heart rate (RHR) is a primary indicator of cardiovascular health and is defined as the number of heart beats per minute when the body is at rest. For adults, a normal RHR ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute and is indicative of the heart's efficiency in pumping blood throughout the body under normal stress.

Variations in RHR, such as bradycardia (RHR below 60 beats per minute) and tachycardia (RHR above 100 beats per minute), carry significant health implications. 

Bradycardia may be a sign of an underperforming heart, causing fatigue, dizziness, and inadequate oxygenation, all of which can impair organ function. On the opposite pole, tachycardia is indicative of an overworked heart and is related to an increased risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart failure, stroke, and sudden cardiac arrest. Both conditions highlight the important balance required for optimal cardiovascular function.

Recent studies have shed light on the impact of genetics on RHR by identifying specific gene variations, especially in the FADS1 and CD46 genes, predisposing individuals to abnormal heart rates:

• FADS1 is involved in the metabolic pathways that regulate the body's inflammatory response and energy use, which can affect heart function under stress or at rest. 
• CD46, on the other hand, is involved in the immune response and how the body protects heart tissue from damage.

This genetic discovery is important because it not only helps us better understand the intrinsic complexities of cardiovascular health, but also highlights the value of genetic testing. In fact, by identifying individual predispositions to heart rate abnormalities, genetic testing offers a gateway to individualized health strategies designed to minimize these risks and improve cardiovascular well-being.