Dominic Stone
Blood flow to the muscles increases during exercise, and this is influenced by regular physical activity or inactivity. Endurance exercise training can increase left ventricular mass and chamber volume, a phenomenon known as eccentric cardiac hypertrophy, which augments stroke volume and maximum cardiac output. This increase in blood volume can improve oxygen delivery to the muscles, enhancing athletic performance. The main method to increase blood volume is through consistent training, with studies showing that blood volume can increase by around 10% within 24 hours of training due to plasma volume expansion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle increase blood volume | Yes |
| How? | Through regular physical activity or inactivity |
| How much? | 10% within 24 hours of training |
| How long? | 1-2 weeks for plasma volume expansion, weeks and months for red blood cell increases |
| Why? | To improve oxygen delivery |
| What else increases blood volume? | Heat adaptation, high altitude |
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What You'll Learn
Blood volume increases with muscle training
Blood volume and muscle training are closely related. Training consistently is the main way to increase blood volume. Within just 24 hours of training, blood volume can increase by around 10% due to plasma volume expansion. This is because plasma volume responds more rapidly, with changes occurring in days or even hours, while red blood cell increases usually take weeks or months.
The body's blood volume can be influenced by regular physical activity or inactivity. During exercise, the body's blood flow increases dramatically in the skeletal and cardiac muscles, while blood flow to other tissues and organs, such as the abdominal viscera and kidneys, is reduced. This is due to an increase in cardiac output, which rises with exercise. As endurance exercise training increases, so can the left ventricular mass and chamber volume, a phenomenon known as eccentric cardiac hypertrophy. This adaptation augments stroke volume and thus maximum cardiac output.
The amount of blood volume change is influenced by the initial fitness level, with higher fitness levels leaving less room for blood volume to grow. Training at altitude can also increase red blood cells after a couple of weeks of exposure, which is why many elite training groups spend time at high elevations. Heat adaptation, such as that experienced in a sauna, can also increase blood volume.
The positive feedback loop of blood volume increases leading to more enjoyable and faster training, which in turn increases blood volume a little more, can eventually stabilize at a higher set point. However, it is important to maintain consistency in training, as too much stop-and-start training will hinder progress.
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Plasma volume expansion
Additionally, plasma volume expansion is observed in both humans and animals during acute endurance exercise and training. The magnitude of this natural expansion ranges from 9 to 25%, which corresponds to an additional 300 to 700 ml of plasma. The expansion is influenced by factors such as preceding exercise levels, ambient conditions, exercise intensity and duration, body posture, and fluid ingestion. Fluid-regulating hormones, such as aldosterone and arginine vasopressin, also play a role in promoting hypervolaemia, which is associated with plasma volume expansion.
Furthermore, data from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies suggest that circulating blood volume is influenced by regular physical activity or inactivity. Alterations in plasma volume can account for most of the changes in circulating blood volume during the initial 1 to 2 weeks of changing physical activity patterns. These alterations in blood volume are associated with changes in total body water and solutes, particularly increased or decreased water intake, urine volume, and solute output.
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Red blood cells and haemoglobin
Red blood cells (RBCs) are a crucial component of the circulatory system, with their primary function being the transportation of oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues. This vital role is facilitated by haemoglobin, a protein contained within red blood cells that binds to oxygen molecules. The process of oxygen delivery by red blood cells is intricately linked to the body's metabolic processes, as oxygen is essential for cellular respiration, which produces the energy required for various physiological functions.
Haemoglobin, being central to the oxygen-carrying capacity of red blood cells, plays a critical role in maintaining tissue health and overall physiological homeostasis. The normal haemoglobin level for males is typically between 14 and 18 grams per decilitre (g/dl), while for females, it ranges from 12 to 16 g/dl. Deviations from these standard values can be indicative of certain health conditions. For instance, low haemoglobin levels may suggest anaemia, which can arise from iron deficiency or other nutritional deficits such as vitamin B6, B12, or folate deficiencies. On the other hand, elevated haemoglobin levels, known as erythrocytosis, can result from an abnormal increase in red blood cells, a condition called polycythemia vera.
The concentration of red blood cells and haemoglobin is not static and can be influenced by various factors, including physical activity levels and environmental conditions. For example, regular endurance exercise can lead to an increase in red blood cell volume, as the body adapts to meet the higher oxygen demands of active muscles. This is particularly evident in elite endurance athletes, who exhibit extremely high stroke volumes and cardiac outputs. Additionally, environmental factors such as altitude play a role, with haemoglobin levels rising when individuals spend extended periods at higher altitudes to compensate for lower oxygen levels in the air.
Haemoglobin levels are also affected by the body's fluid balance. Dehydration can lead to an apparent increase in haemoglobin concentration due to a decrease in plasma volume, while fluid overload can result in lower haemoglobin readings. Therefore, proper hydration is essential for maintaining accurate haemoglobin measurements. Furthermore, certain medical conditions, such as bone marrow diseases, leukemia, and radiation therapy, can impact the bone marrow's ability to produce new red blood cells, subsequently affecting haemoglobin levels.
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Endurance training and cardiac output
Endurance training has been proven to have a positive impact on cardiac output. The benefits of endurance training on cardiac output are especially relevant for heart failure patients and can also be beneficial for those with other chronic diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and obesity.
Cardiac output refers to the volume of blood pumped by the heart per minute. It is influenced by stroke volume, which is the amount of blood pumped by the heart per beat, and heart rate, which is the number of times the heart beats per minute. Endurance training, particularly in the form of aerobic exercise, has been shown to increase stroke volume and cardiac output without significantly altering heart rate.
Studies have found that endurance training can lead to an increase in left ventricular mass and volume without wall thickening, a phenomenon known as eccentric cardiac hypertrophy. This adaptation increases stroke volume and, consequently, maximum cardiac output. This is because the maximum heart rates of athletes and sedentary individuals are similar, so the increase in cardiac output is primarily due to the higher stroke volume.
The benefits of endurance training on cardiac output are particularly notable in elite endurance athletes, who exhibit a very high cardiac output. The increase in cardiac output allows them to meet the high oxygen demands of endurance sports. Additionally, endurance training can lead to improved cholesterol and blood pressure levels, reduced risk of heart and blood vessel conditions, and improved overall quality of life.
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Blood flow and muscle oxygenation
Oxygen is carried to the muscles via blood flow generated by the cardiovascular system, and oxygen uptake increases during exercise. The oxygen is then extracted from the blood due to decreases in perivascular and cell PO2, as well as increased blood hydrogen ion and CO2 levels. Vasodilation of the arterial tree and small arterioles enhances oxygen delivery by increasing blood flow and capillary density.
During endurance exercise, muscle blood flow increases in response to the metabolic demands of the muscle. This is particularly evident in low-intensity endurance exercises with blood flow restriction, where muscle oxygenation and respiratory gases are affected. Studies have shown that blood flow is not linearly graded with contraction intensity, and local muscle oxygenation levels can decline even with continued or increased blood flow.
Physical activity and inactivity can influence circulating blood volume. Alterations in blood volume are associated with changes in total body water and solutes, urine volume, and solute output. Regular physical activity can lead to an expansion of blood volume, providing advantages for thermoregulation and heat dissipation. Conversely, physical inactivity can result in a reduction in blood volume, potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscle and blood flow are closely related. During exercise, blood flow to the muscles increases dramatically, while blood flow to other tissues, especially the abdominal viscera and kidneys, is reduced. However, it is unclear whether muscle increases blood volume.
During contractile activity, motor units are recruited in a predictable sequence that depends on differences in motor neuron size. As exercise intensity increases, a negative feedback control of local vascular responses progresses toward a better matching of muscle oxygen delivery and utilization.
Training consistently can increase blood volume. Within 24 hours of training, blood volume can increase by around 10% due to plasma volume expansion. After two to three weeks, studies have measured red blood cell increases.
Increased blood volume can lead to improved oxygen delivery to the muscles, which can enhance athletic performance. Additionally, it provides advantages for heat dissipation and thermoregulatory stability.
