Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
A study in Heart Vessels (March 2006) showed that the heart beats with
greater strength when a person loses weight. The obese patients in the study received
echocardiograms to predict their risk for heart failure by
measuring their left ventricular function. After they lost at least
ten percent of their total body weight, the strength of the
contractions of their hearts increased significantly.
This study
shows that weight loss should be part of the treatment for heart
failure if the person is overweight. It also explains why being
overweight makes you tired and short of breath, because your
heart has to work much harder to push blood through blood
vessels blocked by fat. Losing excess weight improves heart
function and also helps to prevent diabetes, heart attacks,
strokes, kidney damage and even certain cancers.
Best diet for heart health and weight loss
Checked 3/11/10