Benefits Exercise benefits virtually every system and cell of the body. It decreases blood pressure and can normalise blood pressure in the mild hypertension, improves the cardiac function, produces electric stability of the heart muscles and thus reduces the risk of cardiac arrthymia and, possibly, sudden death. It indirectly benefits the cardiovascular system by weight reduction and better control of diabetes mellitus. It improves the skeletal muscles and joint muscles by increasing the physical capability, ameliorating effect of chronic age and disease, reducing risk of injury, strengthening the tendons and tissue around the joints, lubricating the joint cartilages and capsules, and maintenance of flexibility. It helps in maintenance of the bone mass and calcium deposits in the bones and particularly in the later age and post-menopausal women.
Exercise enhances metabolic functions by controlling the body weight and preventing obesity.
It increases insulin sensitivity and thus ameliorates diabetes mellitus and lowers cholesterol which is a major risk factor in the coronary heart disease. It inhibits the blood clotting process and stickiness of the blood and thus further contributes to the reduction in the heart attacks. The recently published follow-up of famous Harvard Alumini in relation to stroke shows enormous benefits of physical activity. In the study they have observed and analysed over a long time the health of 11130 men who matriculated at the Harvard University between 1916-1950. The study shows clear benefits of increasing physical exercise over the years and reducing the risk of stroke as well as heart diseases with the physical exercise.