With the increase in the incidence and prevalence of obesity and all its associated health impacts, and alongside newer discoveries in medicine, there is a renewed drive for the incorporation of physical exercise in therapies1. More and more benefits of exercises are being discovered almost every now and then. This is why many individuals are now being conscious of the need to go through any bodily activity that would enhance and sustain their physical fitness.
Physical exercise refers to activities that are aimed at improving the body’s level of physical fitness and also promote the overall health status of the individual1. Exercises are recommended and performed for varying reasons ranging from strengthening and building muscles to improving the cardiovascular status2. A lot of individuals also undergo physical exercises with the aim of burning off some excess body fat, and indirectly losing weight, while others just do it with the sole purpose of enjoying themselves.
Exercises have lots of impacts on the body’s systems and have both merits and demerits2. Science have shown that frequent and constant physical exercise has a way of boosting the body’s defense systems, making it easier for the soldiers of the body to fight against infections or other invaders1. Also, it also contributes to preventing diseases such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, and heart disease3. Again, it prevents against mental health conditions such as depression and can augment a person’s self-esteem. However, as an individual commences exercise, a lot of chemical
reactions take place in the body which are seen externally in various forms.
An exercising body goes through a complex series of chemical processes in order to meet up with the needs of the working muscles. All the systems of the body are involved in this and they use up energy derived from the breakdown of a chemical called ‘ATP’ in the body. This ATP is made up from the chemical breakdown of glucose which can occur either in the presence or absence of oxygen3. The ATP is then used to power the electric motors in working muscles, drive out the metabolic wastes such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid generated in the body, and also eliminate the heat generated by all these processes4. In the absence of glucose, the body can still generate ATP from other sources such as fatty acids and protein breakdown, but strictly in the presence of oxygen3.
Asides the above, for an individual exercising for more than a few minutes, certain other chemical processes also occur to ensure the delivery of more oxygen to the working muscles, else they will cease to work. These processes cause the widening of blood vessels supplying the muscles so that they can increase the blood flow to these muscles, increase the blood flow from the heart (cardiac output), and increase the delivery of oxygen to the tissues from the carrier (hemoglobin)5. All these ensure that the amount of oxygen reaching the muscles is multiplied by at least fifteen-fold.
Just like every other thing, process or action, physical exercise has its advantages and disadvantages. It has been said that individuals who undergo physical exercises on a regular basis have better sleep quality1. These people find it easy to fall asleep quickly. They also sleep deeply and do not awaken as often as other people do during their sleep. This is an advantage many people have experienced, even me as I have noticed that after every time I take a swim, I find it easy to sleep thereafter, and the sleep is usually very sound.
Again, one of the other advantages I have noticed on a personal level is that it makes me look better as I do not have flabby abdominal muscles which a lot of people carry around. From time to time, I engage in sit-ups and other workouts that improve the firmness and tone of my abdominal wall muscles. This has also been confirmed by many other individuals who have agreed that physical exercise helps to enhance their physique and keep their bodies well-conditioned1.
For individuals who have a sedentary lifestyle in that they do very little of physical activity, the commencement of a regular series of exercises have been found to have reduced mortality, and their risk for coming down with a cardiovascular disease is greatly lowered. Also, their brain function improves as the cognitive function of the brain is stimulated by the release of chemicals such as norepinephrine, serotonin, glutamate and dopamine which are brought on by exercise2.
In summary, physical exercise is an activity that initiates and sustains a lot of chemical processes in the body, with the aim of forming products that help to keep the body fit and trim,
and also improve the overall well-being of the individual. As it has been shown above, much can be derived from undergoing physical exercise. Nonetheless, there are some disadvantages that have to be kept in mind when commencing an exercise schedule. However, the advantages sure beat these disadvantages and should not deter from deriving the benefits of a rigorous exercise schedule.
Works Cited
1 Wilmore, Jack, and Howard Knuttgen. “Aerobic Exercise and Endurance Improving Fitness for Health Benefits.” The Physician and Sports Medicine 31.5 (2003): 45. Web. 8 Apr. 2014
2 Johnsgard, Keith W. Conquering Depression and Anxiety through Exercise. Amherst, N. Y.: Prometheus Books, 2004. Print.
3 Barrett, Kim, et al, Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical, 2010. Print.
4 Kimber, Nicholas E., et al. “Skeletal Muscle Fat and Carbohydrate Metabolism during Recovery from Glycogen–depleting Exercise in Humans.” The Journal of Physiology 548.3 (2003): 919 – 927. Print.
5 Stampfer, Meir J., et al. “Primary Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease in Women through Diet and Lifestyle.” New England Journal of Medicine 343.1 (2000): 16-22. Web. 8 Apr. 2014
