body systems
The circulatory system is the transportation system of the body. The heart, blood, arteries, and veins are all part of this system. The circulatory system is made up of two subsystems: the cardiovascular system and the lymphatic system. In the cardiovascular system the heart pumps blood thought the vast system of blood vessels. The lymphatic system helps preserve the fluid balance and helps fight against disease.
Blood
Blood is made up of four main components: plasma, erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets.
Plasma: is the fluid portion of the blood. It is made up of numerous chemicals including: sugars, minerals, and proteins.
Erythrocytes: contains hemoglobin, and carries oxygen to all the tissues of the body.
Leukocytes: combat infections.
Platelets: are the mechanism for blood clotting.
The total composition of whole blood is about 57 percent plasma, 42 percent erythrocytes (red blood cells) and less than 1 percent leukocytes (white blood cells) and platelets.
Respiration and Circulation
From your lungs, oxygen goes directly into the bloodstream. Your lungs contain millions of tiny air sacs called alveoli which the blood flows around. Incoming air to the lungs is forced into the alveoli, and by the process of the Law of Gaseous Diffusion, the oxygen moves from the sacs and into the red blood cells.
body systems
The limiting factor for receiving oxygen to your systems is not your lung capacity, but rather the number of red blood cells you have in your body. Even if your lungs were able to process more oxygen, without the sufficient amount of red blood cells there is no way to transport this extra oxygen capacity of the lungs. For athletes, exercise and training produces more red blood cells, resulting in more hemoglobin, which carries oxygen, more red blood cells, which carry the hemoglobin, more blood plasma, which carries the red blood cells, with the end result being more blood volume. Simply put, people in good physical condition have a larger blood supply than the typical deconditioned person. The conditioned person can increase their blood supply by nearly a quart!
body systems
Not only does having more red blood cells carry more oxygen through your system, but it also carries away more wastes. The removal of carbon dioxide and other wastes are just as important in reducing fatigue and increasing endurance. The process whereby the blood reached the tissue, releases its oxygen, and collects wastes is called osmosis. The cycle is complete when the carbon dioxide and other wastes are carried away and back to the lungs via the veins.
body systems
Now the Law of Gaseous Diffusion works in reverse and the pressure of the carbon dioxide in the veins forces it to go into the alveoli, and then exhaled with the expired air. Again, the efficiencies of this cycle and it capacity for gas exchange is all dependent on the physical fitness of the individual. With proper exercise and training this system become more efficient.
Another effect of exercise and training is the effect it has on the conditioning on the blood vessels. Along with the increased amount of blood that the trained person has they also begin to create new veins and capillaries to carry the blood to the working muscles. This process is called vascularization, and is an essential factor in building endurance muscles. Basically, you will become more efficient with specific training for your sport or activities.
body systems
Again, there is a limiting factor to vascularization and that is fat metabolism. Fat is one of the major foodstuffs along with proteins and carbohydrates. The metabolism of fat is important because if fat intake is not monitored one of the major factors that can occur is arteriosclerosis, basically the hardening of the arteries. Fat circulates in the bloodstream for prolonged periods following fatty meals, and the length of time it take to clear depend directly on your physical condition. A low-fat eating lifestyle and aerobic exercise help speed the process of clearing fat from your bloodstream. Here is an interesting finding: Ideally you would want to have a low-fat eating lifestyle and exercise. However, it has been shown that a high-fat diet and aerobic exercise is preferable to a low-fat diet and no exercise.
body systems
Exercise and training has three major effects on your blood vessels: 1) it enlarges them and make them more pliable to pressure. 2) it increases their number for more blood flow throughout your body and working muscles. and 3) it helps keep the interior linings clear of clogging materials.