Listening to your Favorite Tunes Helps Improve Endothelial Function in CAD

Turning on your favorite tunes can help improve your health, according to a recent study. In fact, researchers note that it can specifically make a positive mark on your heart health.

"In the setting of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease the endothelium loses its normal function," Professor Deljanin Ilic  said, via a press release. "Since endothelium derived nitric oxide is necessary to maintain an adequate vascular response, correction of endothelial dysfunction has become a goal of therapy.

"Exercise training has been shown to improve endothelial function and is the cornerstone of a multifaceted program of cardiovascular rehabilitation. However, little is known about the role of music in cardiovascular rehabilitation or the effects of listening to favorite music on endothelial function."

The study looked at the effects of listening to participant's favorite music and whether or not this affected endothelial function and changes seen regarding circulating blood markers, including the following: the stable end products of nitric oxide (NOx), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) and xanthine oxidase (XO) in 74 patients with stable CAD.

Patients were then put into different exercise groups. Patients in the T and MT groups underwent 3 weeks of supervised aerobic exercise training at a residential centre. In addition to exercise training, patients in the MT group listened to their favourite music for 30 minutes every day.

Participants in the M group received regular community care and listened to their favorite music approximately 30 minutes a day. They were also measured for exercise performance over a 3 week period.

Results showed that those who listened to their favorite music more often were more likely to engage in exercise than control groups that were not given similar options.  

"The combination of music and exercise training led to the most improvement in endothelial function. Improvements in endothelial function were associated with significant improvements in exercise capacity," she said, via the release. "Listening to joyful music for 30 minutes has been associated with improved endothelial function, possibly by β-endorphin mediated activation of endothelium derived nitric oxide.2 The vascular health benefits of music may be due to endorphins or endorphin like compounds released from the brain when we hear music we like."

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via the European Society of Cardiology.