A lot of us love a good footy match, or soccer match, or tennis match, or whatever other sport it may be that takes your fancy. I learned a fun fact today though, and that fact is that going too hard in the stands can put you at risk of a legit heart attack.
Yes, to everyone who has ever screamed at a ref or a player through the TV in the hopes that they’ll hear you and take your obviously good advice, this is for you. A study done by Oxford tested the saliva from Brazilian fans during their soccer team’s loss to Germany at the 2014 World Cup.
If you missed that particular game, Brazil lost 7-1 and fans were sobbing when they left the stadium. If you knew exactly what I was talking about and didn’t want to be reminded, I’m so sorry.
What the researchers found was that the levels of a hormone called cortisol shot up. Cortisol controls your fight or flight response, as well as constricting your blood vessels and therefore raising your blood pressure.
It’s not just anecdotal either. During the 2006 World Cup there were 2.6 times for heart attacks in Munich than there were during a regular period.
Speaking of sports, the now-dead Holden Commodore was a massive part of the racing world. Listen to the GOAT team chat it out…
The researchers also found that the amount of cortisol in saliva was equal between men and women. Next time someone tries to convince you that men love their sports more than women, you can hit them with that fun little tidbit. Everyone gets as stressed as each other during a big game.
So next time you find yourself sitting in front of the TV for the Grand Final, bowl of snacks at the ready, please try not to give yourself a heart attack. Please.
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