Phenomenon of Athlete's heart, positive physiological adaptation to exercise: when and how?
Journal
Research in Physical Education, Sport and Health
Date Issued
2020
Author(s)
Enigin Emini
DOI
10.46733/PESH20103108pg
Abstract
Physical activity places a substantial demand on the whole body, especially on the cardiovascular
system. The main goal of circulatory system is to provide enough energy, through transport of nutritional
substrate and oxygen, to metabolically hyperactive tissues (skeletal muscles). Cardiac adaptation to
exercise encompasses first morphological and therefore functional and electrophysiological changes that
are referred to as a phenomenon of the athletic heart. PURPOSE: The aim of this research is to reveal
contemporary knowledge of physiological mechanisms which contribute to develop the athlete’s heart,
criteria for diagnosing the athletic heart, defining of volume (duration, frequency and intensity) and
modality of physical activities which cause this cardiovascular adaptation.. METHOD: Specific key words:
“athlete’s heart”, “training” ”duration”, ”intensity”, ”mechanism”, were used to search relevant
electronic databases, such as PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. RESULTS: Individual studies showed
that cardiac adaptations may differ according to the type of sports. Numerous publications have confirmed
an eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy in endurance athletes and concentric left ventricular hypertrophy
in resistance trained athletes. The volume of exercise, intensity and duration of exercise, which are needed
to cause the development of athletic heart are still questionable. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that
whatever the mechanism, it is evident that hypertrophy is a genuine response to training which is followed
by withdrawal after a period of de-training. Sports scientists and sport’s experts who designed the training
regimes should be well informed about consequences of physical efforts on cardiac health. General
recommendations for physical activity for better cardiac health is up to seven hours vigorous aerobic
activity per week
system. The main goal of circulatory system is to provide enough energy, through transport of nutritional
substrate and oxygen, to metabolically hyperactive tissues (skeletal muscles). Cardiac adaptation to
exercise encompasses first morphological and therefore functional and electrophysiological changes that
are referred to as a phenomenon of the athletic heart. PURPOSE: The aim of this research is to reveal
contemporary knowledge of physiological mechanisms which contribute to develop the athlete’s heart,
criteria for diagnosing the athletic heart, defining of volume (duration, frequency and intensity) and
modality of physical activities which cause this cardiovascular adaptation.. METHOD: Specific key words:
“athlete’s heart”, “training” ”duration”, ”intensity”, ”mechanism”, were used to search relevant
electronic databases, such as PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus. RESULTS: Individual studies showed
that cardiac adaptations may differ according to the type of sports. Numerous publications have confirmed
an eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy in endurance athletes and concentric left ventricular hypertrophy
in resistance trained athletes. The volume of exercise, intensity and duration of exercise, which are needed
to cause the development of athletic heart are still questionable. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that
whatever the mechanism, it is evident that hypertrophy is a genuine response to training which is followed
by withdrawal after a period of de-training. Sports scientists and sport’s experts who designed the training
regimes should be well informed about consequences of physical efforts on cardiac health. General
recommendations for physical activity for better cardiac health is up to seven hours vigorous aerobic
activity per week
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