Mixed
Regular exercise training induces direct structural and functional vascular adaptations (such as improved flow-mediated dilation and arterial remodeling) via hemodynamic stimuli (shear stress and pressure), which contributes to cardiovascular risk reduction independently of changes in traditional risk factors like blood pressure or lipids.
To improve your cardiovascular health, you must engage in regular physical activity. This is not just about burning calories or lowering numbers on a lab test; the mechanical force of blood flow during exercise physically remodels your arteries to be healthier and more resilient. Consistency is key to maintaining these structural changes.
Exercise training studies have demonstrated that direct hemodynamic impacts on the health of the artery wall contribute to the well-established decrease in cardiovascular risk attributed to physical activity.
Why this rating
The paper is a comprehensive review in Physiological Reviews citing numerous prospective studies, meta-analyses, and mechanistic experiments.
Source
Vascular Adaptation to Exercise in Humans: Role of Hemodynamic Stimuli
Daniel J. Green et al. · Physiological Reviews · 2017
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