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Exercise and cardiac health: physiological and molecular insights

Nature Metabolism volume 2, pages 829–839 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

The cardiac benefits of exercise have been recognized for centuries. Studies have undisputedly shown that regular exercise is beneficial for the cardiovascular system in young, old, healthy and diseased populations. For these reasons, physical activity has been recommended worldwide for cardiovascular disease prevention and treatment. Although the benefits of exercise are clear, understanding of the molecular triggers that orchestrate these effects remains incomplete and has been a topic of intense research in recent years. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the cardiac effects of physical activity, beginning with a brief history of exercise in cardiovascular medicine and then discussing seminal work on the physiological effects of exercise in healthy, diseased and aged hearts. Later, we revisit pioneering work on the molecular mechanisms underlying the cardiac benefits of exercise, and we conclude with our view on the translational potential of this knowledge as a powerful platform for cardiovascular disease drug discovery.

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Fig. 1: Physiological effects of aerobic exercise training in healthy hearts.
Fig. 2: Effects of aerobic exercise training in diseased and aged hearts.
Fig. 3: Summary of molecular mechanisms underlying the long-term cardiac benefits of aerobic exercise training.
Fig. 4: Exercise decreases cardiac ischaemic injury.
Fig. 5: Exercise as a potential platform for cardiovascular-drug discovery.

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Acknowledgements

J.B.N.M. is supported by a grant from the Research Council of Norway (project 275714). M.W. is supported by grants from the KG Jebsen Center for Exercise in Medicine and the Liaison Committee between the Central Norway Regional Health Authority (RHA) and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiac Exercise Research Group at the Department of Circulation and Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

    Jose B. N. Moreira, Martin Wohlwend & Ulrik Wisløff

  2. School of Human Movement & Nutrition Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Ulrik Wisløff

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  1. Jose B. N. Moreira
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Idea and outline: U.W. and J.B.N.M. Drafting of the manuscript: J.B.N.M., U.W. and M.W. Critical revision of the manuscript for intellectual content: all authors. Study supervision: U.W. Obtaining funding: U.W. and J.B.N.M.

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Correspondence to Ulrik Wisløff.

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Moreira, J.B.N., Wohlwend, M. & Wisløff, U. Exercise and cardiac health: physiological and molecular insights. Nat Metab 2, 829–839 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-020-0262-1

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