Blood flow is the circulation of blood through the cardiovascular system, driven by cardiac output and modulated by vascular tone.
Mechanism: Determined by cardiac output (heart rate × stroke volume), vessel diameter (vasodilation/constriction), and viscosity. Nitric oxide signaling is the primary acute modulator of vessel diameter.
Use case: Improve via aerobic training (capillary density), nitric oxide support (L-Citrulline, beets), and removing constrictors (smoking, chronic stress). The endothelium responds well to consistent, moderate input.
Caveats: Acute pumps (pre-workout) are different from chronic vascular health. Train both.