Question

go through every system (i.e. nervous, cardiac, respiratory, urinary, metabolism) and tell me the differences that are happening in someone running an endurance event compared to someone at rest. This should be separated into sections with headings, written in sentences, and should be 1.5-2 pages. For example, how might my respiratory rate change and why? Cardiac Output? Insulin levels? Glucose levels??

Answer 1

Nervous system, : When the body is at rest, the Parasympathetic nervous system dominates, the parasympathetic system conserves energy as it slows the heart rate and respiratory rate, once the enduranc event begins the sympathetic nervous system is activated, The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system prepares the body for physical activity by increasing heart rate, blood pressure and respiration

Respiratory system, with the increase in physical activity the rate and depth of respiration increases, increase in respiration rate will allow more oxygen and nutrients to working skeletal muscles, this will provide energy to the working muscles

Cardiac system, with exercise there is increased blood flow to the heart, the cardiac output increases due to the increase in heart rate and stroke volume, this increase in cardiac output delivers more oxygen to the working skeletal muscles. During exercise there is extra demand of oxygen for the skeletal muscles, so there is more need to supply oxygen to the demanding tissues, so the heart has to work harder as a result heart beats faster and pumps more blood.There is increase in venous return, which is the blood returning from lower part of the body to the heart.

Urinary system, With exercise vasoconstriction occurs in kidney and gastrointestinal organs, this results in decreased blood flow to these organs, so that more blood is available to the working skeletal muscles. Effective renal plasma flow is reduced during exercise. The reduction is related to the intensity of exercise and renal blood flow may fall to 25% of the resting value when strenuous work is performed.

Metabolism : during exercise pancreas release hormone like glucagon, which increases glucose levels in the blood, this glucose is used as energy by the muscles, glucagon will act on the liver to convert glycogen to glucose, which is released into the bloodstream, Insulin levles may slightly fall during exercise, so that more glucose is available.