The human heart is the most hardworking muscle in the body. It beats roughly 100,000 times a day, continuously pumping oxygenated blood to every single cell. Despite its massive responsibility, you might be surprised by how small and light it actually is.
The largest heart on planet Earth belongs to the Blue Whale. A Blue Whale's heart weighs a massive 180 kilograms (400 lbs) and is the size of a small car!
The weight of a normal, healthy human heart varies depending on a person's biological sex, body size, and age.
If you want to visualize the size of your own heart, simply make a tight fist with your hand. A healthy adult heart is roughly the size of two closed adult fists held together.
The difference in weight is purely related to overall body mass. Males generally have a larger physical body size, more muscle mass, and more total blood volume than females. Therefore, a larger 'pump' (heart) is naturally required to push blood through a larger body.
Yes, but this is usually a dangerous medical condition. If a person suffers from chronic high blood pressure, the heart muscle has to work much harder to push blood. Just like your bicep grows when you lift heavy weights, the heart muscle wall grows thicker and heavier. This condition is called Cardiomegaly (Enlarged Heart), and it can eventually lead to heart failure.
Most people think the heart is on the left side of the chest. Actually, it is located exactly in the **center** of your chest (behind the breastbone). It only *feels* like it's on the left because the bottom tip of the heart tilts slightly to the left side.
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