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The human heart is an incredibly powerful organ.
It beats about 60-100 times a minute, tallying up 100,000 times a day, at the force equivalent to squeezing a tennis ball.
Unlike the rest of our muscles, the heart keeps going, non-stop, all day, every day, for your entire life. So, how does it not get tired?
A viral Instagram post is shocking people with the science behind our amazing heart muscles.
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In the post, it highlights that our hearts are made up of cardiac muscle which, of course, only exists in the heart. And because of this unique muscle structure, it doesn't tire like other skeletal muscles do.
It operates automatically and continuously with no breaks or pauses. The only time it does pause is in the unfortunate event of a cardiac arrest.
Without getting too science-y, cardiac muscle is made up of cells called cardiomyocytes which are primarily powered by mitochondria (you know, the powerhouse of the cell), just like your other muscles.
And the rule is the more mitochondria, the more energy available for the muscle.
Cardiomyocytes have as much as 10 times the density of mitochondria than skeletal muscles, giving them an insanely high energy output.
In total, the volume of the heart contains 30-35% mitochondria. Because of so many powerhouses at its disposal, it regularly receives energy (in the form of ATP), more so than other muscles and so, no breaks or time-outs are needed.
Alongside this, the heart also has a steady supply of blood bringing it oxygen and nutrients so it can carry on beating.
The viral post is causing some social media users to wonder what our lives would be like if all of our muscles were made of cardiac muscles.
As super-powerful as we can imagine ourselves to be, it wouldn't work as all of our movements would be involuntary, so something as simple as walking would no longer be an option.
Despite its resiliency, we must remember that the human heart is not invincible.
In situations of extreme exercise intensity, or prolonged periods, the heart can actually get tired and suffer damage, especially in environments with low oxygen such as high altitudes.
Moreover, factors like poor diet, lack of exercise, and chronic stress can all take a toll on the heart over time, leading to an increased risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular problems.
Healthy lifestyle choices, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and stress management, are vitally important for a healthy heart.
