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Ezequiel Garcia

Mrs. Monica Rodriguez

ENGL 1302

April 14, 2022

Physical Activity and the Most Important Muscle

Introduction

Exercise is an important function and hobby that many people participate in and live by.

Doing so can help a person live a healthy and comfortable life as old age sets in. Many different

forms of exercise are performed but eventually all culminate into one positive, which is

improvement of the body. The most important muscle that is worked on while performing any

physical activity is the cardiovascular system. Ignoring the heart and preventing it from getting

routine exercise will present dangerous effects over time if not addressed within a certain amount

of time. Regularly working on the cardiovascular system can improve a person’s body function

and overall cardiovascular health. Frequent physical activity that puts a moderate strain on the

heart will over time present physical improvements such as slight cardiac remodeling,

improvement of lipid profile, and a more pump efficient heart.

Cardiac Remodeling

Cardiac remodeling may sound like a frightening concept but in reality it can be

beneficial addition to a healthy individual’s heart. It is a naturally occurring phenomenon that is

the result of frequent long-term exercise and allows a person to do what stress that was put on the

heart for a longer period of time. The changing in shape can help improve the hearts overall
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efficiency of blood intake which allows it to work less while providing the same quality of

results. Seo et al found while conducting a study that cardiac adaptation does indeed happen

when performing exercise training. “For example, dynamic exercise training increases cardiac

contractility through the Starling effect, in which the increased amount of venous blood returning

to the heart ultimately increases the amount of blood released from the heart. This resulting

chronic “volume overload” induces eccentric cardiac remodeling” (157). This is what happens

when endurance-based exercises such as running or high intensity movements that get the heart

pumping are performed and the benefits that the cardiovascular system acquires once the

changes in shape occur. The heart will pump more blood throughout the body and receive more

blood from the body which increases the oxygenation of the muscle which is perfect when it

comes to endurance-based workouts. The adaptation to resistance-oriented exercises are different

and provide different physical changes by which it is stated by the same research. Seo et al

states, “In contrast, muscle strength exercise induces increases in BP by exerting sudden

pressure, which causes heartbeat impedance to increase, resulting in concentric cardiac

remodeling” (157). This type of physical change in the heart is caused by primarily lifting weight

at a moderately heavy weights which put a strain on the cardiovascular system. This stress is

mostly pressure in the heart which causes a thickening of the walls which help the heart pump

harder and resist the heavy amount of blood pressure that is received when lifting. Depending on

what type of exercise is done will result in some form of cardiac remodeling, also called cardiac

hypertrophy, which will allow the heart to perform better when doing said exercise. For example,

as stated above, runners gain a “tolerance” and can run longer distances faster if performing a

run over and over again. The heart adapts and changes chape to accommodate for the added

stress of the exercise. Additionally, this benefit is not limited to young and middle-aged people.
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This extends to the elderly who benefit greatly from the cardiac remodeling that takes place from

physical activity. According to Taylor et al “In young men and women and older males,

exercise-induced increases in cardiac output are associated with ventricular hypertrophy

following endurance training” (708). The hypertrophy that was discussed earlier is still well and

prominent when it comes to older individuals and still provides them with the same benefits as it

would before. It also reveals that endurance based physical activity has been shown to improve

the hearts function by inducing cardiac hypertrophy which in turn allows the person to perform

the exercise with more and more ease.

Improvement of Lipid Profile

Lipids, also known as fats, can be great for the heart but, an abundance of lipids can

cause disastrous effects to the heart and arteries that can possibly lead to death. These effects can

range from trouble breathing and being physically tired all the time to something more dangerous

such as a heart attack or stroke. It is essential to prevent these as these can cause permanent

damage or death. Physical activity directly helps the heart deal with the overflow of lipids and

balances them out so that a person’s heart can stay healthy. Vogel et al states, “This study reveals

an improved profile of HDL cholesterol and of its subfractions compared with a control group

without any training. Halverstadt et al. observed a significant improvement of LDL cholesterol

and triglycerides after a 24-week endurance exercise training proposed to healthy older subjects”

(306). Additionally, to further provide evidence for this claim, Prabhakaran et al so states, “The

effect of aerobic exercise on serum lipids has been the focus of most study. Favorable changes in

triglycerides, LDL and HDL cholesterol have been reported in men after acute aerobic exercise”

(190). The research states that a frequent schedule of mid-range intensity exercise will in fact

bring lowered cholesterol and fats that will be in the body. The exercise directly correlates to an
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improvement in HDL cholesterol and triglycerides which need to be in check else problems will

arise. Doing so can help prevent diseases such as coronary heart disease and lower risk of heart

attacks. Additionally, physical activity can also help with the function that that processes HDL

and allows it to interact with the other cholesterol’s that are in the body. Sternfeld et al states,

“These findings suggest that a major consequence of regular physical activity with regard to

synthesis, metabolism and transport of lipids lipoproteins may be the enhancement of reverse

cholesterol transport, the process by which HDL-C interacts with cholesterol and moves it from

the peripheral circulation and tissues to the liver for excretion as bile” (31). This again can lead

to a lower lipid profile which will keep a person’s heart free from plaque that can be caused by

high cholesterol and triglycerides.

Pump Efficient Heart

The heart is constantly pumping blood throughout the body so that it can provide the

body’s cells with its much-needed oxygen. Performing physical activity and exercise regularly

can make the heart pump blood more efficiently allowing it to do the same work without

working as hard. As the heart adapts it will perform the task easier and easier and eventually the

person will find that the task is not as hard as it once was. Cordero et al states, “Cardiovascular

adaptation with training mainly involves the following: a) an increase in stroke volume: b) an

increase in heart cavity volume and wall thickness: c) a decrease in heart rate both at rest and

during submaximal exercise, and d) an improvement in myocardial perfusion” (749). The heart

adapts to the stress put on it by physical exercise and does so by increasing the stroke volume

which allows it to push more blood out for oxygenation. By doing this, the heart does not need to

pump as much as it did before as it is getting the same amount of blood out with the increase in

stroke volume. Jakovljevic, Djordje G. states, “In a community-based population free of

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clinically apparent cardiovascular disease, higher physical activity levels were associated

proportionally greater left ventricular mass and end-diastolic volume and lower resting heart

rate” (71). Again, frequent physical activity brings a higher blood volume specifically in the

diastolic portion of the heartbeat which brings more blood towards the lungs all while keeping

the heart rate low so that stress on the heart is not too high. By doing this more oxygenated blood

reaches the cells while no extra work is done. This allows a person to perform an exercise or

endurance training more frequently and for a longer period of time. Another adaption that

correlates to the heart is the venous system that surrounds the cardiovascular system and how its

improved over a long period of time. An increased response to vasodilation has a relation to an

increased amount of blood that flows around the body. Long term exercise is a way to acquire

this benefit from the cardiovascular system. According to Churchill W. “Other studies in young

athletes have shown generally similar responses, although enhanced vasodilation has been

observed in older athletes and older exercisers” (59). An increased vasodilation response is

directly correlated to an increased blood volume in the body which is oxygenated and carried

throughout the body to the cells. Athletes who have been participating in exercise routinely for

some time will see these benefits the longer exercise is done. It can also be seen by an increased

among of veins throughout the body which increase in size which accommodate for the increased

volume.

Conclusion

In the final analysis, higher levels of physical activity have been shown to increase a

person’s overall function of life specifically in their cardiovascular system. It does this by

changing shape, improving lipids, and being more efficient and pumping blood. The research and

evidence supports this claim and it is clear that physical activity can bring all of these benefits.
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Much has been said with the evidence provided by researchers and much more can be learned

from this topic as the cardiovascular system is a very adaptive system and many stresses can be

applied on it that will affect the changes that will occur. Nonetheless, exercise has been proven to

provide beneficial changes to the cardiovascular system.

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Works Cited

Churchill, Timothy W. “The Impact of Exercise and Athletic Training on Vascular Structure and

Function.” Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine, vol. 22, no. 12, 2020,

doi:10.1007/s11936-020-00861-7. Accessed 30 Apr. 2022.

Cordero, Alberto, et al. “Physical Exercise and Health.” Revista Española De Cardiología

(English Edition), vol. 67, no. 9, 2014, pp. 748–753.,doi:10.1016/j.rec.2014.04.005.

Jakovljevic, Djordje G. “Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Aging: Physiological and

Molecular Insights.” Experimental Gerontology, vol. 109, 2018, pp. 67–74.,

doi:10.1016/j.exger.2017.05.016.

Prabhakaran, B., et al. "Effect of 14 Weeks of Resistance Training on Lipid Profile and Body Fat

Percentage in Premenopausal Women." British journal of sports medicine 33.3 (1999):

190. ProQuest.  Web. 29 Apr. 2022.

Seo, Dae Yun, et al. “Cardiac Adaptation to Exercise Training in Health and Disease.” Pflugers

Archiv : European Journal of Physiology, vol. 472, no. 2, 2020, pp. 155–168.,

doi:10.1007/s00424-019-02266-3

Sternfeld, Barbara, et al. “Seven-Year Changes in Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, and Lipid

Profile in the Cardia Study.” Annals of Epidemiology, vol. 9, no. 1, 1999, pp. 25–33.,

doi:10.1016/S1047-2797(98)00030-1.

Taylor, AH, et al. “Physical Activity and Older Adults: A Review of Health Benefits and the

Effectiveness of Interventions.” Journal of Sports Sciences, vol. 22, no. 8, 2004, pp. 703–

725.
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Vogel, T, et al. “Health Benefits of Physical Activity in Older Patients: A Review.” International

Journal of Clinical Practice, vol. 63, no. 2, 2009, pp. 303–320., doi:10.1111/j.1742-

1241.2008.01957.x.