Your ability to compete in ultra-endurance events may be determined at birth
A new study suggests that birth weight may influence how well an individual's kidneys withstand the stress of ultra-endurance events like ultramarathons. Researchers found that a birth weight of 8 pounds is associated with less kidney damage in adult athletes after extreme races. The findings indicate that early-life biological factors could determine how the body responds to intense physical demands later in life.
- ▪A study published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution linked birth weight to kidney health in ultramarathon runners.
- ▪Researchers tested 44 ultramarathon athletes and found that those born at 8 pounds had the lowest risk of acute kidney injury.
- ▪Birth weights significantly lower or higher than 8 pounds may indicate impaired organ development and greater kidney stress during extreme endurance events.
- ▪Extreme endurance exercise can cause red blood cell damage, anemia, and temporary breakdown of brain insulation for energy.
- ▪The study raises questions about whether there can be too much exercise and how prenatal factors shape physical resilience.
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Fitness Your ability to compete in ultra-endurance events may be determined at birth By Rachel Sacks Published May 3, 2026, 11:51 a.m. ET Your adult race destiny may be determined at birth. Ultra-endurance events have surged in popularity, with more than 150,000 North Americans racing ultramarathons (a distance longer than the standard 26.2-mile marathon) last year. And while these hardcore events can prematurely age vital parts of the body, one factor may shape how the body responds to extreme endurance exercise long before adulthood. A biological limit that surfaces in ultra-endurance events may be determined long before adulthood at birth. Michael Nigro for NY Post Scientists believe humans were made to run long distances, citing evolution during the hunter-gatherer days.
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