ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the biochemical perturbations and adaptations of physiological processes associated with changes in a person’s physical activity. Energy for exercise is primarily obtained through glucose and lipids which modulate their metabolism to synergize with varied duration and intensity of exercise. The signals associated with skeletal and cardiac muscle contraction induce activation of multiple biochemical cascades that ultimately control gene expression and adaptation. One exercise intensity perspective identifies moderate workloads to be beneficial to adaptation and maintenance of the immune system and subsequent susceptibility to illness and disease. Another perspective suggests workloads of elite athletes facilitate development of long-term adaptations and superior biochemical systems. With more than a century of investigation into exercise-induced biochemical perturbations, analysis conclusively supports the notion that adaptation is driven by multiple signaling cascades at a cellular level. Ultimately, the plasticity of physiologic and cellular processes allows for continual adaptation in response to variations in physical activity.
