Final answer:
Cardiovascular endurance increases lead to a stronger and larger heart, reduced resting heart rate, lower cholesterol, better vascular homeostasis, and enhanced tissue perfusion. Exercise also promotes the growth of more capillaries, enzymes, and mitochondria, increasing the efficiency of oxygen usage and energy production.
Step-by-step explanation:
When cardiovascular endurance increases due to regular aerobic exercise, several metabolic changes take place. Firstly, the heart muscle responds to exercise like any other muscle, becoming stronger and more efficient. An athlete's larger heart can pump the same amount of blood as a nonathlete's with a lower heart rate, which increases stroke volume. As a result, there is an overall decrease in heart rate during physical activity and a reduction in resting heart rate.
Exercise also has a positive effect on cholesterol levels. It helps to lower overall cholesterol by removing low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), known as 'bad cholesterol', from the circulation. This reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease as LDLs are associated with plaque formation in the arteries. Moreover, exercise aids in achieving better vascular homeostasis, where the blood pressure is lowered, reducing the force that the heart must generate to pump blood.
Finally, aerobic exercise enhances tissue perfusion and increases the size and mass of the heart, leading to a heart that is more capable of pumping blood efficiently, which can significantly increase cardiac output during exercise. Additionally, exercise promotes the development of more capillaries, enzymes, and mitochondria within the muscles, improving the body's ability to use oxygen and maintain energy production during prolonged physical activity.