How does exercise make our heart healthy?

We all know the benefits of exercise on our heart health, and our health in general, but why is this the case?

When you think about it, the heart is a muscle, and of course, like with any exercise, it becomes stronger. Heart disease is the leading cause of disease burden and death in Australia, with many of the risk factors associated with heart disease can be modified through lifestyle changes. Exercise has been proven to be successful in the management of heart disease, as well as assisting those in cardiac rehabilitation to reduce the risk of another cardiac episode and reducing mortality.

Despite the guidelines stating 150 minutes of exercise is required, as little as one hour a week is enough to see reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Running for an hour a week reduced the risk by 42%
30 minutes or more of resistance exercise reduced the risk by 23% and
30 minutes of brisk walking a week reduced the risk by 18%.

Exercise also has a protective factor of the future development of hypertension, with higher levels of fitness reducing the risk of developing hypertension. The ongoing effects of regular exercise on the heart include:

Improves the muscles ability to pull oxygen out of the blood, reducing the need for the heart to pump more blood around the muscles
Lower the heart rate and blood pressure
Increases HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol)
Reduces the risk of having a stroke

Sources:

Nystoriak MA, Bhatnagar A. Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise. Front Cardiovasc Med. 2018 Sep 28;5:135. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2018.00135. PMID: 30324108; PMCID: PMC6172294.

Exercise Right, n.d. How exercise can save your life. https://exerciseright.com.au/heart-health-how-exercise-can-save-your-life/