UM atUM [S04-ep14]: The Heart and Lungs Put to the Test in an Ultra-Triathlon
This week on *AUM science*, Christophe Hedon, a cardiologist at the University Hospital, and Olivier Cazorla, a researcher at PhyMedExp, discuss the link between lung disorders and cardiac fatigue among ultra-triathletes. Sylvain Wagnon, a researcher at Lirdef, is our last-minute guest; he will present a *Wednesday of Knowledge* session on the theme “School in and with Nature.” A show broadcast every Wednesday on Divergence FM 93.9.
As we kick off the new year in January, we wish you all a very happy 2025. Perhaps you’re among the vast majority of French people who have put exercise at the top of their New Year’s resolutions! This is a boon for gyms, which typically see a dramatic surge in sign-ups during this time of year. If, like me, you aren’t one of those early-bird enthusiasts, don’t beat yourself up! Half of them won’t be going to the gym anymore in a month, and only 20% will keep it up until October.
Some may even become serious athletes, to the point of wanting to take on the ultimate challenge: the marathon! And the most daring will set their sights on those extreme competitions known as ultra-triathlons or ultra-trails. The best known of these isthe Ironman: a 3.8 km swim, a 180 km bike ride, followed by a “mini-marathon”—a 42 km run. A crazy idea born in 1978 in Hawaii, a place that also invented the Big Mac Supersize.
And before you accuse me of blatant bad faith, motivated solely by my laziness, I suggest you take a look at the study our guests conducted on the potential effects of these Herculean physical efforts on cardiac and pulmonary function. Previous studies had indeed already revealed that this type of exercise could temporarily impair athletes’ cardiac and pulmonary capacity, but these researchers are the first to have investigated the hypothesis of a link between pulmonary dysfunction and cardiac disorders.
Joining us in the studio are Christophe Hedon, a cardiologist at Montpellier University Hospital, and Olivier Cazorla, a CNRS researcher at the PhyMedExp laboratory.
Our last-minute guest will be Sylvain Wagnon, a researcher at Lirdef. He will introduce us to the upcoming “Wednesdays of Knowledge ” lecture on the topic of “School in and with Nature.”
AtUM , you’ve got the program—let’s get started!
Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Lucie Lecherbonnier / Aline Périault
Production: Robin Laillou
