Physical decline may become measurable up to a decade before a cardiovascular event, according to a study published in JAMA Cardiology that tracked older adults in Australia and the United States for 14 years.
The analysis examined whether changes in physical function precede events such as heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and death from coronary heart disease. In the final five years, the people who went on to experience an event declined more quickly across all three measures, and signs of decline appeared earliest among people who later developed heart failure or died from coronary heart disease, sometimes more than a decade before the event [1].
Meaningful differences in frailty, physical and mental capacity, and physical quality of life appeared as early as 10 years before the event, the study reported. The findings suggest that how a person moves, feels, and functions over time may carry information relevant to heart health, though the authors cautioned the results do not prove that declining physical function causes heart disease.
Study Design and Population
None of the participants had a history of cardiovascular events, dementia, or significant physical disability when the study began.
In the final five years, the people who went on to experience an event declined more quickly across all three measures, the study stated [1]. Events recorded during follow-up included heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and death from coronary heart disease.
The study was observational, and the authors stated that it does not prove that declining physical function causes heart disease or predict who will experience a cardiovascular event. The study found that signs of decline appeared earliest among people who later developed heart failure or died from coronary heart disease, sometimes more than a decade before the event [1].
Timing and Patterns of Physical Decline
In the final five years, decline accelerated across all three measures among those who went on to experience an event, the study found [1]. The timing also varied by event type: signs of decline appeared earliest among people who later developed heart failure or died from coronary heart disease, sometimes more than a decade before the event. For heart attacks and strokes, the differences generally emerged closer to the event itself.
The pattern aligns with a broader body of research on how physical function changes with age. The growth hormone-IGF-1 axis, which regulates postnatal growth and metabolism, progressively declines after puberty, and researchers have linked that decline to alterations in body composition and physical frailty in aging animals [2]. In most adults, growth hormone secretion has declined by age 60 to levels resembling those of adults with organic growth hormone deficiency, a shift associated with decreased lean muscle mass, increased fat mass, and physical frailty as well as worsened cardiovascular risk factors including insulin resistance, elevated total and LDL cholesterol, and high blood pressure [2][3]. Separate work has documented that age-related declines in muscle strength and movement speed are measurable across older populations [4].
Possible Mechanisms and Clinical Guidance
Frailty, mobility, energy, and overall well-being depend on multiple systems working together. When those systems struggle, everyday activities may become harder. The researchers said the findings do not prove causation and may be early clues to broader changes in health rather than direct signs of heart disease.
Preventive research has repeatedly pointed to modifiable inputs that influence cardiovascular risk. A peer-reviewed study of children living in or near Syracuse, New York, found that above-normal levels of arsenic in urine were associated with signs of early-stage asymptomatic heart disease after correcting for diet, second-hand smoke, and other factors, illustrating that environmental exposure can affect the cardiovascular system at young ages [5].
Exercise and physical activity have emerged as central protective factors. An observational study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that 560 to 610 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with a more than 30% lower risk of heart attack and stroke [6]. Researchers have reported that less than an hour of strength training per week reduced the risk for heart attack and stroke by 40% to 70% in an analysis of nearly 13,000 adults [7], while a separate JACC study found that women who engaged in at least two hours of strength training per week had a 44% lower risk of heart attack and a 20% lower risk of major cardiovascular disease compared with women who did no resistance training [8].
Individuals who notice consistently greater difficulty with usual activities can discuss the changes with a health care provider. Other research notes that resting heart rate is one factor used to identify potential health problems and gauge the overall health of the heart, with Dr. Jason Wasfy of Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center stating that "In certain cases, a lower resting heart rate can mean a higher degree of physical fitness" [9]. For context on the scale of the problem, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for 31% of deaths, with about one in every four adult deaths in the U.S. attributed to the condition [10].
Conclusion
The investigators reported that the findings do not establish that physical decline causes heart disease or that the changes can predict individual events, leaving open the question of what mechanisms might connect the two.
The results add to a wide body of work indicating that multiple factors, from exercise habits to sleep quality and environmental exposures, shape cardiovascular risk across the lifespan.
Because the study is observational, the authors cautioned against reading its findings as a screening tool or as a causal explanation. Readers seeking independent, non-corporate reporting on health and medicine can find additional coverage at NaturalNews.com.
References
- Your Body May Be Signaling Heart Trouble 10 Years In Advance. https://obnews.co/Index/flowNewsDetail/id/17735054.html
- Hormones in Health, Ageing and Longevity. by Suresh I.S. Rattan
- Hormones in Ageing and Longevity by Suresh Rattan Ramesh Sharma
- Aging physical activity and health by Shephard Roy J_1
- -Children-Exposed-to-Arsenic-at-Higher-Risk-fo - ChildrensHealthDefense.org, July 12, 2023.
- Study: 560 to 610 Minutes of Weekly Exercise Tied to Substantial Heart Risk Reduction - NaturalNews.com, August 14, 2026.
- Strength Training Cuts Risk for Heart Attack - Mercola.com, January 19, 2024. by Mercola.com
- Two Hours of Weekly Strength Training Linked to 44% Lower Heart Attack Risk in Women, Study Finds - NaturalNews.com, July 06, 2026.
- Top 6 Ways to Lower Your Resting Heart Rate - Mercola.com, November 01, 2019.
- 2 - Alliance for Natural Health, January 26, 2023, by Alliance for Natural Health - ANH-USA.org
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