A Heart Attack Waiting To Happen?

Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. Every weekday, we make sense of the confusing world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and offering quick tips designed to make you healthier in less than 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.

Today’s Health Upgrade

• Number you won’t forget

• Let’s talk sugar alcohols and heart attacks

• Arnold Q&A

• Weekends boosts

Longevity
Number You Won’t Forget: 47 Percent

You can debate all day whether it’s better to do cardio or lift weights, but research suggests doing both is the best way to prolong your life. 

Those who focus on getting stronger and improving endurance experience up to 47 percent reduction in mortality risk, which is significantly greater than either type of exercise.

The magic number is 150 minutes of cardio (per week) and at least two weekly strength training sessions.

Nutrition
Fact Or Fiction: Will Sugar Alcohols Cause a Heart Attack?

If this feels like deja vu, you’re not wrong. We’ve outlined prior studies assessing the risk of artificial sweeteners and cardiovascular problems. But a new study was published that made us check if there’s something new to consider. 

The latest research connected xylitol — an artificial sweetener found in everything from toothpaste to gum, baked goods, and supplements — with an elevated risk of “major adverse cardiovascular events.”

After further review, like prior research, the latest study did not show that xylitol causes heart attacks. 

Here’s where things went sideways. The researchers measured xylitol levels in participants’ blood and associated them with heart issues. But, they did this only by measuring fasting levels and without assessing how much xylitol the participants consummed.

This is important because even though xylitol is a sugar alcohol, it’s also naturally produced in your body (via the glucuronate pathway, for the science nerds). So, just because you have elevated xylitol in your blood doesn’t mean it’s the xylitol in your diet causing problems. 

And based on what the study tested — it’s unlikely that the xylitol you eat is the problem. That’s because when the researchers tested xylitol, it increased rapidly in the blood (within 30 minutes) — but then returned to normal within 6 hours. The researchers even admitted as much by noting, “the plasma levels observed in our observational (validation) cohort represent variations in endogenous production/levels and not food intake.”

What does it all mean? It’s unlikely that consuming xylitol causes cardiovascular events. Instead, elevated xylitol levels — which can be caused by health problems such as high inflammation or insulin resistance — are likely an indicator that you’re at higher risk for heart issues. 

If you’re concerned about sugar alcohols or want to wait till more research is done, it’s relatively easy to avoid them. While they might not cause heart attacks, sugar alcohol is associated with GI issues for some, so it could be easier on your stomach if you reduce how much you consume. Look on nutrition labels for sweeteners that end in “tol,” such as xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, and maltitol. 

Or, if you want to make sure your levels aren’t elevated (because of stress or inflammation), get your blood tested. But — as of now — there’s no reason to believe that your sugar alcohol intake alone is directly putting you at greater risk for heart issues. 

Arnold’s Corner
Arnold Q&A

This week, Arnold joined The Pump app for his 37th Q&A. His “ask me anything” session covered a lot of ground, and here are a few answers people found most entertaining, surprising, and helpful. 

The Truth About The Arnold Press

Parenting Lessons

Arnold…In Avatar?

Arnold’s Favorite Non-Meat Protein Sources

When To Take A Hard Look In The Mirror

Weekend Boosts

Chat With Bestselling Author Michael Easter
Michael Easter, author of The Comfort Crisis, is answering questions today in the Pump App. He’s the featured guest for this month’s book club. If you want to check it out and join the conversation, try the free 7-day trial. If you’re interested, this is your last chance to get the Pump for just $6 per month.

Study We’re Reviewing: A Weird Cancer Trend Brewing?
New research suggests that Gen X and Millennials are more likely to get cancer. Before anyone jumps to conclusions, we will find out what conclusions we can make, and speak to experts who study cancer for a living. More to come soon, but if you love science, you can start with the study itself (don’t just rely on the abstract!).

Weekend Read: Are Energy Drinks Dangerous?
Too many articles are written to create fear. Having too much of anything is not good. And if you’re relying on caffeine to get through every day (not just once in a while), it’s worth examining your habits because — at some point — you need more and more caffeine to get a similar boost, and that’s not a good approach to getting through your day. 

But we’ve covered caffeine extensively, and research suggests responsibly drinking energy drinks is not dangerous. (Assuming you don’t have an underlying health condition or genetic traits that leave you more vulnerable).

For example, most people are surprised to learn that research suggests caffeine does not cause dangerous fluctuations in your heart rate. There are two types of heart palpitations — premature atrial contractions and premature ventricular contractions. The first is associated with health issues, and the other is benign. Caffeine can change your heart rate, but that doesn’t mean your body is struggling or at risk — assuming your heart is healthy.

Of course, if too much caffeine makes you feel bad and jittery or causes an upset stomach or headaches, there’s no need to force the issue. Drink the amount that makes you feel best. In general, research suggests that up to 300 to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day (about three to four cups of coffee or 1-3 energy drinks) is safe.

Pump Perks: Less Caffeine, More Energy
Speaking of energy, if you want the rush of an energy drink but without all the caffeine, we recommend Beam Latte. It has all the delicious flavor of coffee but with 1/3 of the caffeine. Instead, it’s infused with adaptogens and nootropics to give you the boost you desire without any of the jitters. As a member of the Pump Club, you get 20 percent OFF when you use the code “PUMPCLUB.”

And that’s it for this week. Thanks for being a part of the positive corner of the internet. We hope you all have a fantastic weekend!
-Arnold, Adam, and Daniel

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell