Effects of Running on Cardiovascular Health: Benefits, Risks, and Long-Term Adaptations – A Narrative Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.78.76629Keywords
running, cardiovascular health, cardiorespiratory fitness, cardiovascular mortality, endurance exercise, dose–response relationship, atrial fibrillation, cocoronary artery calcificationAbstract
Background: Running is an accessible form of aerobic exercise associated with cardiovascular benefits. However, the long-term effects of high-volume endurance running remain uncertain.
Aim: To summarise evidence on cardiovascular adaptations and benefits of running, dose–response relationships, and potential risks of prolonged, intensive endurance training.
Materials and methods: A narrative review of PubMed/MEDLINE literature from database inception to October 7, 2026, was conducted. Adult studies examining running in relation to cardiovascular adaptations, risk factors, morbidity, mortality, or complications were considered. Only publications with legally accessible full text were included. Evidence was synthesised thematically without meta-analysis.
Results: Running was associated with improved cardiorespiratory fitness and lower all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, with benefits reported even at low running volumes. Aerobic exercise also showed beneficial effects on blood pressure, vascular function, and selected lipid parameters, although some findings were not running-specific. Potential concerns associated with high-volume endurance training included atrial fibrillation, coronary artery calcification, and transient cardiac biomarker elevations after marathons. Their clinical significance and long-term consequences remain uncertain.
Conclusions: Regular recreational running is associated with substantial cardiovascular benefits and may support cardiovascular disease prevention. High training volumes are not necessary to obtain health benefits, while the long-term effects of extreme endurance running remain less certain. Training should be adapted to individual health status, fitness, and exercise tolerance.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Aleksandra Krzyżaniak, Joanna Dominiak, Hanna Potoczna, Jan Bereda, Konrad Karoń, Paulina Mularczyk, Sara Salloum, Matylda Cieślewicz, Alicja Neumann
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