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SportsScience
NadirFarid

Explainhowtheanaerobic
energysystemprovides
energytotheworking
musclesinthebody

INTRODUCTION
Aerobic reactions is the way that energy is released from glucose, for our cells to use to keep
the muscles functioning.The glucose and oxygen react together in the cells to produce carbon
dioxide and water. The reaction is called aerobic because oxygen from the air is needed for it to
work this process is useful because it produces a lot of energy through ATP. Cellular respiration
for muscles can take place in the mitochondria in the form of aerobic respiration. This is where
the chemical energy of glucose, carbohydrates, fats and proteins are harvested and partially


captured and then resynthesized in the form of ATP furthermore aerobic respiration involves
the 3 processes of:
Glycolysis,
The Krebs cycle
Oxidative phosphorylation via the electron transport chain.

Glycolysis occurs in the cytosol, and the other two processes occur in the mitochondria.

Mitochondria

Muscles are made of cells and the organelle is the component of the cell, which is known as the
mitochondria, which has its own DNA. Mitochondria evolved from independent organisms and
eventually became part of the human cell.

The mitochondria are normally referred to as the powerhouse of the cells because they
generate most of the ATP the cell's need for energy.

ATP
All cells perform specific tasks they all need energy to perform these tasks. In order the
muscles cells to function properly, the energy that ATP supplies to our cells is needed.

ATP is responsible for the energy needed to perform muscle contractions, and other various life
sustaining functions that is important. ATP supplies the energy for chemical and mechanical
reactions in every cell.

ATP however isn't entirely unlimited and is resynthesized by breaking down food that we eat.
The energy is obtained from breaking down food that are rich in fats, carbohydrates and
proteins which are then used to fuel the muscles which means the ATP is created in the
mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, during the process of cellular respiration.


3Mainstagesofaerobicpathways

As I briefly mentioned before aerobic respiration involves the 3 processes which are :

1. Glycolysis
Glycolysis takes place in the cytosol of the cell where in glucose is partially oxidized and
is broken down by a series of enzymes. 2 ATP are used to fuel glycolysis and 4 are
created so the body gains 2 ATP to use for muscular contraction which means this
process of glycolysis end up producing energy of 2 ATP molecules.

Pyruvate is then created as the end product of the breakdown of glucose. As oxygen is
present pyruvate is converted into a substance called acetyl coenzyme A.

Acetyl coenzyme A can then be synthesized in the second and third stages of the aerobic
system to create more ATP.

The second and third stages of the aerobic energy system continue the breakdown of
glucose that was started by aerobic glycolysis and result in the formation of the
by-products carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O), and the synthesis of more ATP.

2. KrebsCycle
In the Krebs Cycle the Fatty acids from the fats and amino acids from the proteins are
converted to a chemical called acetyl coenzyme A through a series of complex chemical
reactions. Along with some of the acetyl coenzyme A produced in glycolysis they enter
the Krebs cycle and are broken down.

This results in the ATP production of 2 ATP for further muscle contractions and the
by-products of carbon dioxide and hydrogen are also produced, CO2 is expelled as waste
and the hydrogen is transferred to the electron transport chain.


3. Electrontransportchain
Once in the electron transport chain the hydrogen atoms from the Krebs cycle undergo
further chemical reactions. Hydrogen ions from Krebs cycle are carried to the electron
transport chain by carrier molecules.

Hydrogen ions are transferred to carrier molecules embedded in the electron transport
chain where they go through a series of chemical reactions. A hydrogen ion gradient is
created.

As hydrogen ions move across this gradient another form of ATPase phosphorylates ADP
(adds another phosphate group) to form ATP. Water is created as a by-product as
hydrogen combines with oxygen.

As a result of the electron transport chain 34 molecules of ATP is produced so overall the
ATP gained from the complete breakdown of 1 glucose molecule in the aerobic system is
as shown:

Glycolysis 2 ATP

Krebs cycle 2 ATP

Electron transport chain 34 ATP

So in total 38 ATP of molecules of ATP is created from the complete breakdown of 1 glucose
molecule in the aerobic system.

Aerobicexercises

Aerobic exercise is sometimes known as cardio since requires pumping of oxygenated blood by
the heart to deliver oxygen to working muscles and stimulates the heart rate, breathing rate to
increase in a way that can be sustained for the exercise session.


Good Examples of aerobic exercises may include cardio machines, spinning, running, swimming,
walking, hiking, aerobics, dancing, cross country skiing and many other types of fitness
exercises and sports.

Although these can be aerobic exercises it can become anaerobic exercises if performed at a
level of intensity that is too high or performed for too long.