A strong upper body might be doing more than helping you lift groceries. An analysis of chest scans from 1,722 patients suggests people with denser chest and back muscles face lower odds of heart attack and early death, the Guardian reports. The patients, mostly in their 50s and undergoing scans for chest pain, were followed for about a decade. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh found that every 10-point increase in muscle "brightness" on scans—an indication of denser, less fatty muscle—was linked to a 31% lower risk of heart attack and a 39% lower risk of dying over the next 10 years.
The scans primarily captured back, pectoral, and the intercostal muscles between the ribs. Researchers say it was the composition, not the size, of muscles that was linked to lower heart attack and early death risk. In the future, routine heart imaging could flag patients with poorer-quality muscle for closer monitoring, lifestyle support, or preventive medication.
- Bryan Williams, chief medical officer at the British Heart Foundation, which part-funded the study, says it's likely that "people in this study with more dense muscle mass were more physically active and as a result may have better heart health. That is yet more evidence supporting the power of exercise. Every time we move, we are making a positive difference to our muscles, our blood vessels, and our overall health, and regular exercise can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to a third."
The study's senior author, Michelle Williams, a professor of cardiovascular imaging, says she found the findings so compelling that she has started going to the gym twice a week and tries to walk for an hour a day. "I am now personally interested in exercises like cycling, planks and pilates, which I enjoy and may have an effect on these muscles," she says. "However, we need far more research to better understand how exercise may affect muscle density, and how this may relate to heart health."
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