What happens to our bodies when we exercise?
Exercise has an effect on the entirety of the body in a positive way. Exercise Physiology is a fascinating topic but in short, exercise diverts blood from the organs toward the muscles and tells the body to convert glucose to energy while the brain’s neurotransmitter activity increases, releasing serotonin and dopamine in higher levels which give us the ‘’ runners high’’. In the heart, as a result of an increase in adrenaline levels, the heart rate increases, thus increasing blood flow which strengthens and cleanses our arteries and capillaries. Our sweat glands increase sweat production and vasodilation helps carry waste and toxins out of our body. Our bones are stimulated to increase formation and repair from high impact and resistance exercises.
What is the best form of exercise?
This is a question I often get from my patients. The answer is not straightforward and really depends on underlying health conditions and patient goals.
For example:
·Pain requires a combination of endurance and resistance exercise to reduce pain levels and increase pain tolerance.
·Osteoporosis requires impact and resistance exercise to improve bone health.
·Osteoarthritis can be helped with repetitive motion of the specific joint & also with Tai Chi.
How long does it take to see results from exercise?
Once again, this is not a straight forward question and differs between what is trying to be achieved. If I had to simplify the answer exclusively to muscle adaptation most of the available literature consistently refers to 8 weeks as a time frame that observational increases in hypertrophy of skeletal muscles can be achieved. However, there are multiple variables that affect this which include intensity, duration, frequency, mode, nutrition and age.
Conclusion:
There is no one size fits all when it comes to exercise, results can be affected by multiple variables and specific goals can have a great effect on this. In saying that, Exercise is the best medicine known to man and any form of it will have a positive impact on health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Ryan