Blood Flow During Exercise When exercise begins, blood is sent to the working muscles Less blood is therefore available to digest food in the gut, which can cause cramps The flow of blood from other areas into the muscle is known as blood shunting. This is why an exercise session should not start until 2/3 hours after the last meal
Redistribution of blood during exercise Blood Shunting is where the blood is redistributed when we start to exercise As we exercise, the destination of blood flow changes dramatically. Blood flow can be diverted away from non-essential tissues and organs and directed to working muscles During exercise muscles gain 80-90% of total blood flow Destination Rest Maximal exercise Muscle 20% 80% Brain 15% 11% Heart 5% 4% Skin 10% 3% Liver & Intestines 30% 1% Kidneys
Explain Vasodilation… Explain Vasoconstriction…
Therefore less blood is available to digest the food, so we must leave 2 hours after a large meal. It could cause cramps if you do exercise after a meal.