5 Major Functions of the Cardiovascular System

Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide Transport

Supplying oxygen to the body is the most essential function of the cardiovascular system. Although all cells
require oxygen, brain cells are the most sensitive and begin to die in as little as 3 minutes if deprived of oxygen.
During inhalation, air enters the lungs and oxygen is absorbed through the air sacs into the bloodstream. This
oxygen-rich blood is pumped through the heart into the arterial circulation. In the capillaries, oxygen diffuses out
of the blood and into the cells of the body's organs and tissues. At the same time, carbon dioxide -- a waste
product produced by cells -- is absorbed into the blood and transported to the lungs through the venous
circulation. When this oxygen-poor blood reaches the lungs, carbon dioxide diffuses through the air sacs and is
then exhaled. This cycle occurs with every breath.

Nutrient and Waste Product Transport

Delivering nutrients to the body is another critical function of the cardiovascular system. After food is digested in
the stomach and intestines, its component nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. These nutrients include
sugars, fats, vitamins, minerals and protein building blocks called amino acids. Each of these nutrients is vital to
healthy body function. For example, the sugar glucose is the body's primary fuel to generate energy, and amino
acids enable the body to manufacture new cells. Like oxygen, nutrients diffuse from the bloodstream into body
cells via the capillaries. In addition to carbon dioxide, the circulatory system picks up metabolic waste products
and toxins and transports them to the liver, kidneys and lungs for eventual elimination from the body.

Disease Protection and Healing

The circulatory system serves as the highway for disease-fighting cells and proteins, and messengers of the
immune system. Immune system cells called white blood cells patrol the body in search of invading germs. If an
infection occurs, these cells send chemical alarm signals that travel through the bloodstream, which
subsequently transports infection-fighting cells to the site of the infection. The circulatory system also carries
chemical messengers that attract cells to heal tissues that have been damaged due to injury or disease.

Hormone Delivery
Hormones are chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands that affect distant organs. The
cardiovascular system serves as the transportation connection between the endocrine glands and the organs or
tissues they control via hormones. For example, hormones produced in the pituitary gland in the brain control
other endocrine glands -- such as the thyroid, ovaries and testes -- as well as directing childhood growth.
Similarly, the blood-sugar-lowering hormone insulin produced in the pancreas affects the uptake and use of
blood sugar throughout the body. And thyroid hormones affect the metabolic rate of virtually every body organ
and tissue, thanks to their body-wide delivery via the circulatory system.

Body Temperature Regulation

Body temperature regulation is an often overlooked but important function of the cardiovascular system. Optimal
function of the human body occurs within a relatively narrow temperature range, which is tightly regulated. If body
temperature begins to rise, blood vessels close to the body surface dilate, increasing in size. This allows the
body to rid itself excess heat through the skin. Conversely, if body temperature drops, surface blood vessels
constrict to conserve body heat. The cardiovascular system works in concert with the body's sweating
mechanism as the primary regulators of body temperature.