“What does exercise do to the heart?”

I am impressed with your concern at a young age. Exercise is like health tonic for the heart.

It depends on what exercise. Running dilated your heart and weight lifting makes it thicker. Both are very good.

Exercise is beneficial to the heart. It allows more blood to fill the arteries, and strengthens the heat muscle. Aerobic exercise is the best, however, any exercise can have benefits. Of course, we're speaking of a normal heart. People with heart problems need to adjust their exercise regimens depending on how serious the problem is, and a cardiologist should always be consulted. For a healthy individual, regular aerobic exercise done 3-5 times a week should be beneficial. Heart rate should increase with exercise; if it drops during exercise, this is a sign of a potentially serious problem. Never continue exercise if the heart rate drops, or if symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or continuous cough occurs. Always a good idea to have a good cardiovascular exam performed before starting an exercise program.