The Great Metabolic Race

As stated before the three energy systems used by the body are the ATP-PC, anaerobic glycolysis and aerobic system. The ATP-PC and anaerobic glycolysis system (also known as lactic acid system) are anaerobicly based meaning that they don’t need a sufficient amount of oxygen to produce ATP. The aerobic system requires oxygen to produce ATP hence its name. All three system have fuels’ which produce energy. The ATP-PC uses phoso creatine and creatine phosphate, the lactic acid system uses glycogen and the aerobic system uses glycogen and triglycerides . Glycolysis refers to the breaking down of glycogen to from glucose which is used in ATP.

The energy for all physical activity comes from the conversion of high-energy phosphates (adenosine triphosphate—ATP) to

Lactate is then converted back into glucose by the liver. The liver is using an aerobic reaction to produce ATP. It takes 6 ATP from the liver during the cori cycle to produce 2 ATP for the muscle cells. Cells would not be able to survive long in a single muscle cell because it does not have the liver to produce more ATP and to convert lactate back into glucose (Hudon-Miller, 2012).

For needed energy, a molecule of glucose is broken down through a process called glycolysis to form 2 ATP’s. The by-product is lactic acid. During intense, anaerobic muscle activity, anaerobic hydrolysis occurs. The Cori Cycle is activated to recycle the accumulated lactic acid back into useable energy. The lactic acid travels through the bloodstream to the oxygen-rich liver and is converted back to glucose by a process called gluconeogenesis. The glucose is then returned to the muscle to resupply it with energy. This conversion process uses up 6 ATP’s to make 2 ATP’s for the muscle to reuse. This creates a net loss of 4 ATP’s. The Cori cycle is meant to be a temporary shift of energy production from the oxygen-depleted muscles to the liver.

Anaerobic respiration does not produce a lot of energy compared to aerobic respiration. Adrenaline is a hormone that is produced by the adrenal glands. This hormone increases the amount of blood circulation, inhalation, and the rate of carbohydrate breakdown and arranges the muscles to be prepared for exertion. When adrenaline works with anaerobic respiration, it creates a monumental amount of energy for the sprinter to use. Anaerobic respiration can only be used for a small period because lactic acid will start to build up. Lactic acid is the reason why sprinters body start to ache. When the sprinter finishes its run, they will start to take in oxygen and the oxygen will start to break down the lactic acid and eradicate it from the blood

All systems are used simultaneously when an athlete competes in a 100m track event, but to varying degrees. As sprinting is an explosive, high intensity event, the 100 metre track athlete will predominantly use the anaerobic energy system, specifically the ATP-PC energy system, as well as the lactic acid system. This means that for the ATP and Lactic acid system they will not require oxygen. The fuel from the muscle is initially found within the muscle. These systems require no oxygen. The ATP system usually lasts from 12-15 seconds, and a 100 metre track runner will usually run in 10-12 seconds. The efficiency of this is system is very fast and very short as the duration of high intensity contractions used for sprinting only last between

Uniquely, glycolysis is both anaerobic and aerobic. The end product pyruvate, from glycolysis, is anabolized to lactic acid when there is a need for energy without an adequate supply of oxygen available. This last step or reaction enables glycolysis to continue producing ATP without the need for oxygen, which is why it is called the anaerobic energy system (Fink, 2009).

Cellular respiration occurs when cells release energy from food molecules. Aerobic respiration includes the process of glycolysis. Glycolysis produces ATP by forming glucose into pyruvate. Anaerobic respiration includes the process of fermentation. Fermentation uses the pyruvate made in glycolysis to make ethanol and NAD+. Fermentation may also produce lactic acid and NAD+. The electron transport chain uses electrons from hydrogen to produce ATP. The electrons are carried through the 4 complexes by NADH. Hydrogen ions leave the inner membrane space through the ATP synthase and react with ADP and an inorganic phosphate to produce ATP.

Carbohydrates are one of the main fuel sources of energy. Carbohydrates are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Monosaccharides (glucose and fructose), disaccharides (sucrose) are referred as sugar molecules. Aerobic and anaerobic metabolism work together to provide ATP and energy for exercise (Baker et al, 2010). Skeletal muscles use fat and carbohydrate for energy. Therefore, at high exercise intensities, fat does not synthesis ATP, so fat utilisation has a higher amount of ATP. Therefore, glucose utilisation is necessary for ATP synthesis (Milian, 2013).

Instead of accumulating in the tissue, the lactic acid produced by the anaerobic process is commonly taken up by the liver cells. In the liver gluconeogenesis happens. The process leads to the conversion of the lactic acid first to pyruvate then to glucose. The glucose would be supplied to the muscle cells through the bloodstream.

2000. Very little energy is produced through this pathway, but the energy is gained very quickly. Once pyruvate is formed, it has two fates: conversion to lactate or conversion into metabolic intermediary molecule called acetyl co enzyme A (acetyl-CoA), and this enters the mitochondria for oxidation and the production of more ATP, Robergs & Roberts 1997. Conversion to lactate occurs when the demand for oxygen is greater than the supply, so for example during anaerobic exercise. Conversely, when there is enough oxygen available to meet the muscles needs, pyruvate, via the acetyl CoA) enters the mitochondria and goes through the aerobic metabolism.

ATP is often referred to as the energy currency of life. The body’s cells use a special form of energy called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to power almost all their activities, such as muscle contraction, protein construction, transportation of substrates, communication with other cells, activating heat control mechanisms, and dismantling damaged and unused structures. It is the high-energy molecule that stores the energy we need to do have for just about everything we do. It is present in the cytoplasm and nucleoplasm of every cell, and essentially all the physiological mechanisms that require energy for operation obtain it directly from the stored ATP. Whether it's during a 26-mile marathon run or one explosive movement like a tennis serve, skeletal muscle is powered by one and only one compound, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) . However, the body stores only a small quantity of this 'energy currency' within the cells and its enough to power just a few seconds of all-out exercise for example a a explosive movement in a football match.

Long distance running requires the use of many major muscle groups for performance. Some of the major muscles used during running include the quadricep muscles, hamstrings, soleus (inner calf muscles), gastrocnemius (outer calf muscles), hip flexors, and the gluteal muscles. The use of these muscles are powered by high amounts of oxygen in order to go for long periods of time. This form of exercise is aerobic because it uses the cardiorespiratory system to obtain oxygen in order to sustain physical activity. Oxygen use during long distance running is essential because it is used to burn fats and glucose creating ATP (adenosine triphosphate) as a basic energy cell carrier for the body. Long distance running is also continuous in nature because

The body has three energy systems, one for power, one for speed, and one for endurance. For power activities, the body uses the ATP-PC system, for speed the glycolytic system is used, and for endurance the oxidative system is used. The first system, the ATP-Pc system, is short immediate energy, which lasts about 2-15 seconds, in the absence of oxygen (Brooks, Fahye, & Baldwin, 2005). This energy comes from intra-muscular sources of ATP and PCr. The ATP is degraded to ADP to release energy, and PCr helps prevent ATP depletion. The three phosphate bonds are at a high energy state, and when they are broken they release energy, as they go into a lower energy state which is ADP (Khan Academy). This large amount of short lived energy is used in

The most effective method of ATP production is cellular respiration. Cellular respiration is the breakdown of glucose into carbon dioxide, water, and producing molecules of ATP( The Free Resource). There are three steps that involve cellular respiration: glycolyis, the Kreb cycle and electron transport chain. Glycolysis is the breakdown of glucose. It mostly occur in the cytosol of the cell. During the process of glycolysis, a phosphate group from the ATP is transferred to glucose to produce glucose 6 phosphate. Glucose 6 phosphate is converted into fructose 6 phosphate with the help of an enzyme called isomerase. The enzyme phosphofructokinase change fructose 6 phosphate to fructose 1,6 biophosphate. Fructose 1,6 biophosphate is split into two sugar. Those sugars are dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceradehyde 3 phosphate. The enzyme triophosphate