Physiological Principles 5013SPOSCI: Coursework Assignment 1
Lab Report: Substrate use during high and low intensity exercise
Introduction (20%)
There are 3 distinct, yet closely integrated processes that work together interchangeably during exercise to fulfil the energy requirements of the muscle (Gastin, 2001). The primary role of these 3 processes - Phosphocreatine (PCr), Carbohydrate Oxidation (CHO) and Fat Oxidation (FOX)- is to resynthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from adenosine di-phosphate (ADP). The availability of these substrates however, certainly in the case of PCr and CHO, are regulated directly in relation to intensity of exercise (Romijn et al., 2000) and duration (MacLaren & Morton, 2011) These 3 processes are vital to …show more content…
The system that PCr creates resynthesizes ADP to ATP is the phosphagen system; CHO aerobically goes through a more complex route via glycolysis and the krebs cycle; anaerobically, pyruvate that hasn’t been broken down fast enough aerobically is converted to lactic acid by lactase dehydrogenase to free up molecules for further assistance in resynthesizing ATP.
A limitation of this study is that PCr and its involvement in high intensity exercise is not studied. Although this may be due to a lack of universally accepted method to quantify anaerobic energy release, peak blood lactate concentration could be used to provide an extent to which glycolysis occurred (Gastin, 2001). PCr is an important substrate used at the start of high intensity exercise (Hultman et al., as cited by Balsom, 1995) and would therefore be a good future process to measure.
To conclude, exercise intensity regulates substrate used- fats being a potential exception (Romijn et al., 2000). Findings in this study were similar to that of other research articles in the field of physiology that looked at exercise intensity and substrates
Lab Report: Substrate use during high and low intensity exercise
Introduction (20%)
There are 3 distinct, yet closely integrated processes that work together interchangeably during exercise to fulfil the energy requirements of the muscle (Gastin, 2001). The primary role of these 3 processes - Phosphocreatine (PCr), Carbohydrate Oxidation (CHO) and Fat Oxidation (FOX)- is to resynthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP) from adenosine di-phosphate (ADP). The availability of these substrates however, certainly in the case of PCr and CHO, are regulated directly in relation to intensity of exercise (Romijn et al., 2000) and duration (MacLaren & Morton, 2011) These 3 processes are vital to …show more content…
The system that PCr creates resynthesizes ADP to ATP is the phosphagen system; CHO aerobically goes through a more complex route via glycolysis and the krebs cycle; anaerobically, pyruvate that hasn’t been broken down fast enough aerobically is converted to lactic acid by lactase dehydrogenase to free up molecules for further assistance in resynthesizing ATP.
A limitation of this study is that PCr and its involvement in high intensity exercise is not studied. Although this may be due to a lack of universally accepted method to quantify anaerobic energy release, peak blood lactate concentration could be used to provide an extent to which glycolysis occurred (Gastin, 2001). PCr is an important substrate used at the start of high intensity exercise (Hultman et al., as cited by Balsom, 1995) and would therefore be a good future process to measure.
To conclude, exercise intensity regulates substrate used- fats being a potential exception (Romijn et al., 2000). Findings in this study were similar to that of other research articles in the field of physiology that looked at exercise intensity and substrates