CASE STUDY REPORT

BIO150 – METABOLISM AND CELL

DIVISION

CASE STUDY TITLE LACTIC ACID RELATED TO MUSCLE CRAMP

PREPARED BY 1.ALEES RAHAIZAN BINTI ABD RAHIM

(2018681594)
2. FARAH SYAMIMI BINTI MUHAMMAD YUSOF
(2018633134)
3. NURUL ATHIRAH BINTI ARMAN (2018443718)
4. NUR FATIHAH BINTI ABDUL RAHIM
(2018485298)
GROUP AS1202_N
DATE OF SUBMISSION 24 MAY 2019
LECTURER’S NAME ZAIDATUL SHAKILA BINTI MOHAMAD ASHARI
1.0 INTRODUCTION

During lactic acid fermentation (Figure1), pyruvate is reduced directly by NADH

to form lactate as end product with no release of carbon dioxide. The ionized form of
lactic acid is lactate. Human muscle cells generate energy in form of Adenosine
Triphosphate (ATP) by lactic acid fermentation when there is insufficient of oxygen
supply. This occurs during vigorous exercise where sugar catabolism for ATP
production outspaces the muscle’s supply of oxygen from the blood. The lactate that
accumulates cause muscle fatigue and pain. Recent research has suggests that instead
increased levels of potassium ions (K+) may be to blame, lactate enhance muscle
performance. The excess lactate will convert back to pyruvate by liver cells (Niel, A.
Campbell, 2015). This is because oxygen is available then the pyruvate can enter the
mitochondria in liver cells and complete the cellular respiration.

Figure 1: Lactic Acid Fermentation (Niel, A. Campbell 2015)

The role of lactic acid in athletic performance is one that is widely misunderstood.
Lactic acid, or lactate, is a natural by-product generated through the production of
energy in the body, and is produced by the body at all times. Lactic acid is formed from
glucose and used by working muscles for energy. Most of the athletes experience the
accumulation of lactic acid when they do a particular long or fast run and pushing
themselves beyond the normal training limits.
 The problem statement of this case study is the accumulation of lactic acid in
body that involves lactic acid fermentation process causing the athletes to experience
muscle cramps and fatigue and ways for them to perform well in their athletic activities.

Lactic acid basically comes from the anaerobic respiration. Anaerobic respiration
is the incomplete oxidation or breakdown of glucose in the absence of oxygen to
provide extra energy needed. It occurs in the muscle cells during a vigorous physical
exercise. When the oxygen consumption by muscle cells exceeds the supply of oxygen
from the blood, skeletal muscle cells have to respire anaerobically to produce additional
energy to keep the muscles contracting. Glucose is partially broken down into lactic
acid, and a small amount of energy is released 1. The equation is as below :

C6H12O6 2C3H6O3 2ATP

+
(Glucose) (Lactic Acid) ( Energy)

High accumulation of lactic acid in the muscle will cause muscle cramps and
fatigue to the athletes. When the vigorous activity is over, the individual gasps to
breathe in more oxygen to repay the oxygen debt. Oxygen debt is the amount of oxygen
required to oxidize the lactic acid produced in the muscles during anaerobic respiration.
Some lactic acid is oxidized to carbon dioxide, water and energy. Some lactic acid is
converted into glucose, which is then converted to glycogen and stored in the muscle
cells.

Lactic acid is an organic compound with the molecular formula C 3H6O3. It was
first discovered in 1780 by Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele who isolated it from
stale milk. Lactic acid’s relation to milk gives it its name; lact- being the latin word for
milk. Its discovery in muscles occurred later, in the year 1808, by Swedish chemist Jons
Jacob Berzelius.

1
Tan, M.H and Hasimah, A, (2017), Achiever Biology, Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn. Bhd. 93
 Lactic acid kicks in mostly during very active times. It takes place in muscles that
are fast twitching because they produce the energy faster. Thus, this can result in
muscle cramps and muscles being stiff for long period of time afterwards. Athletes are
constantly going so their bodies have become better adjusted to the need to produce
more energy for their activity. The more they do these heavy exercise activities, the
more their bodies will change in order to produce more energy with the oxygen they
have. Also the more they do vigorous exercises, the more their body becomes used to
using anaerobic respiration. So the cramps and stiffening of muscles become less and
less.
2.0 CONTENTS
Lactic acid fermentation still uses sugars (glucose) to make energy in the form of
ATP like in cellular respiration but oxygen is not needed for the reaction. Because this
process does not use oxygen, lactic acid fermentation is a type of anaerobic respiration.
ATP isn’t the only product of lactic acid fermentation, but lactic acid (lactate) is also
produced.
During prolonged and vigorous exercise, the rate of respiration and rate of
heartbeat increases. The breathing rate becomes faster and the working muscles
require more oxygen and energy. The muscles are in a state of oxygen deficiency and
this is when the anaerobic respiration takes place to obtain extra energy. Glucose
molecules breakdown partially to produce lactic acid. Due to the incomplete breakdown
of glucose, the energy released is much less and most of the energy is trapped in the
molecules of lactic acid2. Lactate production is proportional to the amount of glucose
broken down for energy in the tissues. High concentration of lactic acid may cause
muscular cramp or fatigue.
There are several differences between aerobic respiration and anaerobic
respiration. The primary difference between these two kinds of respiration is that
aerobic respiration involves the use of oxygen while anaerobic respiration does not
involve the use of oxygen to produce energy in the form of ATP. Aerobic respiration
occurs in both cytoplasm and mitochondria while anaerobic respiration only occurs in
cytoplasm. Aerobic respiration involves complete oxidation of glucose whereas
anaerobic respiration involves incomplete oxidation of glucose.
Besides that, aerobic respiration produce much more energy than that of
anaerobic respiration. Other difference between these two kinds of respiration is that
aerobic respiration produces carbon dioxide, water and ATP whereas anaerobic
respiration produces lactic acid and ATP. Lastly, the final electron acceptor for aerobic
respiration is oxygen whereas the final electron acceptor for anaerobic respiration is
another molecule that is electronegative, also less so than oxygen 3 such as sulfate
(SO42-), nitrate (NO3–), or sulfur (S).
2
Faida, H. (2011), from https://www.scribd.com/doc/75217422/Respiration-Chapter-7-Biology-Form-4
3
Neil A. Campbell (2015), Biology Global Approah Campbell (10th ed.), Pearson Education. 254-255.
 In aerobic respiration, the electron transport chain (ETC) on the inner
mitochondrial membrane transports electrons from NADH and FADH 2 through a series
of proteins on the membrane. The final electron acceptor at the end of the ETC is the
oxygen molecule (O2) which combines with hydrogen ion (H +) to form water (H2O) by the
final ETC carrier protein which is the cytochrome oxidase complex.

When an athlete works out, their body need more oxygen to break down glucose
for respiration. In vigorous exercise, there may not be sufficient oxygen accessible to
finish the procedure, so a substance called lactate is produced. Their body can change
over this lactate produce energy without using oxygen. However, this lactate or lactic
acid accumulation can develop in the athlete’s body circulatory system quicker than
they can consume it off. The moment that lactic acid accumulation begins to develop is
known as the "lactate limit." That’s why they usually got a cramp when they do vigorous
exercises. This process is known as anaerobic process, anaerobic process break down
glucose when there are not enough oxygen available to do aerobic process.

Lactic acid is formed even while the athlete is breathing oxygen because
although the athlete is breathing in oxygen, it is not enough to sustain intense exercise
so the muscles produce more energy and oxygen through fermentation and lactic acid.
It’s also because of the amount of oxygen that in is still not enough to pay oxygen debt.
Oxygen debt is the amount of oxygen needed by muscle tissue to oxidize lactic acid.

Oxygen debt happen because of there is not enough time for their body to get a
lot of oxygen to supply to the muscles. So, their body will still produce energy even
without oxygen. Then it creates oxygen debt. This causes a built up of lactic acid. For
example, oxygen debt always happen when athletes are doing high intensity activities,
lasts for a short period of time, requires a great deal of energy, but happens so fast that
there is not enough time to get lots of oxygen to the muscles such as the 100 m sprint.
Only when all the oxygen debt have been pay, the acid lactic will not formed anymore.
 Gender does not affect the accumulation of lactic acid. But in some cases, it
does affect the formation of lactic acid. This is because one of the factors that cause
formation of lactic acid is the amount of muscle present. The formation of lactic acid is
directly proportional to the amount of muscle present in body 4. So, if the amount of
muscle presence in body is higher, then the formation of lactic acid is also higher. This
is because the muscles use ATP to contract to make a movement. Then, the body will
undergo anaerobic process to fulfill the needed of muscle if the oxygen was not enough.
So, the more muscle that someone have, the more oxygen and glucose needed to
produce ATP for the muscle to contract. Generally men have more muscle mass
relative to women, so gender has a slight influence on the accumulation of lactic acid in
those terms. It slightly affects the formation of lactic acid but it depends on the muscle
mass relative in the body.

The size of body does not affect the formation of lactic acid. The accumulation of
lactic acid depends on the intensity and amount of exercise completed. It also depends
on how fast body tissues absorbs lactic acid as it is being produced. About lactic acid in
foods, it mainly depends on what type of food that is being consumed. Some of these
foods include sour milk, molasses, various fruits, and wines. So basically gender and
size do not affect the accumulation of lactic acid.

4
Sabrina, P. (2015). from https://prezi.com/s_-4dxrtygt6/untitled-prezi/
3.0 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the lactic acid or its other name lactate, is a process in which
occurs when the body required energy production faster than the extended deliver of
oxygen in the body. The need of energy causes the body undergoes an energy
production anaerobically, which is lactic acid. Lactic acid allows the breakdown of
glucose to keep the production of energy to continue. Even if, the side effect of lactic
acid is the increased of acidity level in muscle cell and along with the disruption of other
muscle metabolism, which called as oxygen debt, the lactic acid prevents permanent
damage to the muscle cell by slowing the key system needed to the maintain muscle
contraction. As a side note, the oxygen debt are paid off by generates the lactic acid to
glucose back by a large amount of oxygen presence. Lactic acid is an essential method
for the body to help oxygen in production of energy faster for the body in excessive
activities.
4.0 RERERENCES

Faida, H. Retrieved December 9, 2011 from

https://www.scribd.com/doc/75217422/Respiration-Chapter-7-Biology-Form-4

Neil A. Campbell (2015), Biology Global Approach Campbell (10th ed.), Pearson
Education.

Sabrina, P. (2015). from https://prezi.com/s_-4dxrtygt6/untitled-prezi/

Stephen M. Roth, Why Does Lactic Acid Build Up in Muscles? And Why Does It Cause
Soreness? Retrieved January 23, 2006 from
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-does-lactic-acid-buil/?redirect=1

Tan, M.H and Hasimah, A, (2017), Achiever Biology, Penerbitan Pelangi Sdn. Bhd.