Football fans pulse can reach highs

World Cup watching: pulse of football fans can reach maximum levels

07/01/2014

For many supporters of the German national football team, the victory of the DFB team against the Algerian team should have been extremely stressful. And also in other games, the pulse of football fans can jump dangerously high at World Cup watching. A cardiologist advises in an interview to prudence.

Pulse values ​​of fans can reach highs
The victory of the DFB-Elf against Algeria last night should have been extremely stressful for many German football fans. In other games can be driven in contentious decisions, extra time or penalty shootout, the pulse of the championship watchers in the air. Especially at the knockout matches of the World Cup, the pulse rates of diehard fans can reach maximum scores. And the combination of alcohol and stress is particularly risky in terms of health. In an interview with the news agency dpa advises the cardiologist Hans-Georg Predel of the German Sport University Cologne people with a previous illness to prudence, so this is not critical: „In extreme cases, sometimes away from the TV“, said the specialist in internal medicine and sports medicine.

Pulse like in sporty high performance
In healthy people, the resting heart rate is 50 to 80 strokes and with light jogging the heart beats 120 times a minute. But „Research shows that the pulse of a real fan during such dramatic events as a knockout game with extra time and penalty shoot-out can actually reach values ​​of 160, 170 up to 200 beats per minute - values ​​that we otherwise only know of real athletic performance“, said the Professor of Preventive and Rehabilitative Sports Medicine, who heads the Institute for Cardiovascular Research and Sports Medicine in Cologne.

Stronger increases in men
The specialist said that a pulse rate of 200 under physical exertion was perfectly fine. „But if it increases due to stress, even if it is positive stress during a game, then people with pre-existing damage can already experience critical situations starting at 160, 170“, so predation. There are also differences between the sexes. Thus, according to the physician investigations of recent years have suggested, „that there are stronger increases in men during the games. That may be related to their fan status and emotional involvement. In addition, men often have a higher cardiovascular risk than women - and are more often affected by it more critically.“ Threatening heart attacks to the World Cup fears also the German Herzstiftung in the course of world championships. So could the emotional stress change and in the worst case „to a heart attack or to dangerous cardiac arrhythmias“ as the Foundation recently reported. This was shown by an examination of more than 4,000 patients in the Munich area during the 2006 Football World Cup in Germany.

Fans should stay cool
Predatory football fans recommend to Predel that, with all their commitment, they should still keep in mind that, after all, it's a game, intriguing as it may be. Fans should stay cool and those who know that they are prone to high blood pressure or have an increased cardiovascular risk, the cardiologist advises: „In very critical situations just close your eyes and think again. Or in extreme cases sometimes away from the TV.“ He also warned about the unfavorable effects of alcohol: „Alcohol still stimulates and that is just a combination that is unfavorable. Lots of alcohol and emotional stress can really lead to a critical increase in both blood pressure and heart rate. Well, a few beers are certainly not a problem, but not excessive and especially not in the hot lunch time on the fan mile.“

Fast guidance would calm
For the hearts of watching fans and also players of a team it would be best, according to Predel, if a game leads to a quick lead: „So a quick, reassuring guide that it does not come to excessive game situations, which then burden the cardiovascular system.“ From a naturopathic point of view, relaxation techniques such as autogenic training and progressive muscle relaxation are also available for coping with stress during the World Cup. In addition to caution with alcohol, viewers should also keep an eye on being cautious with the snacks to keep fat intake low. (Ad)