6 Ways Exercise Benefits Your Heart
Exercise has many benefits. To celebrate American Heart Month, here are six ways exercise benefits your heart.
Exercise Strengthens the Heart Muscle
Regular exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improving the heart's ability to pump blood to the lungs and throughout the body. This improves cardiovascular endurance and increases stamina.
Exercise Lowers Blood Pressure
Exercise causes blood vessels to expand slightly and become more flexible, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure.
Exercise Improves the Lipid Profile
Triglycerides are a type of fat (lipid) in the blood, High triglycerides are associated with hardening of the arteries or thickening of the artery walls (arteriosclerosis). This puts strain on the heart and increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart attack.
High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is referred to as the "good cholesterol" because it helps remove "bad cholesterol" from the blood. A higher level of HDL is linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries cholesterol to various tissues that need it, but excess LDL contributes to plaque buildup in arteries. This gives it the reputation of "bad cholesterol."
Aerobic exercise lowers triglycerides, raises HDL, and decreases LDL.
Exercise Reduces Levels of C-Reactive Protein
C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein made in the liver, and its level rises in response to inflammation. It is a marker for increased risk of heart disease.
Exercise reduces levels of CRP.
Exercise Reduces the Incidence of Heart Arrhythmia
Atrial fibrillation is a condition where the upper two chambers of the heart, the atria, beat rapidly and out of rhythm. This is uncomfortable when it happens and, untreated, can lead to stroke and heart failure.
People with this condition may be hesitant to exercise due to the feeling of rapid heartbeat. However, the research indicates that exercise does not increase the incidence of arrhythmia, in fact it decreases it.
If you have atrial fibrillation, consult your doctor.
Exercise Promotes Other Heart-Healthy Habits
Exercise can improve your mood and inspire you to adopt other heart healthy habits such as better nutrition choices and quitting smoking.
References:
Fedewa, Michael V et al. “Effect of exercise training on C reactive protein: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised and non-randomised controlled trials.” British journal of sports medicine vol. 51,8 (2017): 670-676. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2016-095999 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27445361/
Giacomantonio, Nicholas B et al. “A systematic review of the health benefits of exercise rehabilitation in persons living with atrial fibrillation.” The Canadian journal of cardiology vol. 29,4 (2013): 483-91. doi:10.1016/j.cjca.2012.07.003 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23200094/
Pinckard, Kelsey et al. “Effects of Exercise to Improve Cardiovascular Health.” Frontiers in cardiovascular medicine vol. 6 69. 4 Jun. 2019, doi:10.3389/fcvm.2019.00069 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6557987/
"Exercise prevents both the onset and development of cardiovascular disease and is an important therapeutic tool to improve outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease."
"Physical Activity and Your Heart: Benefits." National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute website. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/heart/physical-activity/benefits
Souptik Barua, Dhairya Upadhyay, Aditya Surapaneni, Morgan Grams, Lior Jankelson, Sean Heffron. "Fitbit-measured physical activity is inversely associated with incident atrial fibrillation among All of Us participants." medRxiv 2024.06.27.24308221; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.06.27.24308221
Wang, Yating et al. “Aerobic exercise reduces triglycerides by targeting apolipoprotein C3 in patients with coronary heart disease.” Clinical cardiology vol. 42,1 (2019): 56-61. doi:10.1002/clc.23104 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30511426/
Exercise class photo by Gabin Vallet on Unsplash. Heart model photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash.
