BIOENERGETICS

BIOCHEM - LECTURE
BIOENERGETICS
- The study of sources of energy in living
organisms and how that energy is ultimately
utilized
- For any physical activity, energy must be
generated and used by the body to accomplish the
task
CHEMICAL ENERGY
- Food we eat contains chemical energy
- Is stored as glycogen, fat, and protein
- Can be released to provide the energy needed to
produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
ADENOSINE TRIPOSPHATE (ATP)
- Most important source of energy supporting
muscle contraction during exercise
- Composed of an adenine group, a ribose group,
and three phosphate groups
- Formation of ATP occurs by combining
adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and inorganic
phosphate (Pi)
CHEMICAL REACTION
- Metabolism begins with a substrate (the
beginning material in the reaction) In each step,
the substrate undergoes a chemical change
catalyzed by enzymes and is modified; the
modified compounds are intermediates
- In the final step, the resulting compound is
referred to as the product.
NEGATIVE FEEBACK SYSTEM
- RATE-LIMITING ENZYME: an enzyme that
catalyzes the slowest step (usually the first step)
in a series of chemical reactions
- To stimulate or inhibit a series of reactions, a
substance must affect the rate-limiting step.
ENERGY SYSTEM
- Three energy systems provide ATP for muscular
work:
o Phosphocreatine System
o Anaerobic Glycolytic System
o Oxidative System

THE ENERGY SYSTEMS AND THEIR

APPROXIMATE CONTRIBUTIONS TO VARIOUS
DURATIONS OF EXERCISE AT MAXIMALA
INTENSITY

ENERGY SYSTEM DURATION

Phosphocreatine System 0-10 seconds
Phosphocreatine System 10-30 seconds
METABOLISM and Glycolytic System
(slow)
- The sum total of anabolic and catabolic processes Glycolytic System (fast) 30 seconds-2 minutes
Glycolytic System (fast) 2-3 minutes
ANABOLIC: and Oxidative System
Oxidative System <3 minutes and rest
- Builds larger substances from smaller substances

CATABOLIC:
Note: At submaximal intensity, each system can supply
- Breaks larger compounds into smaller ATP for a long time. Recovery from all types of energy
compounds expenditure is aerobic.

ENZYMES - At no time is only one energy system used

exclusively
- PROTEIN: Structured molecules that facilitate
certain chemical reactions by lowering the energy KEY POINTS:
of activation
- Exercise intensity is the most important variable
- ENERGY OF ACTIVATION: Amount of
related to which energy system is activated to
energy needed to cause a specific chemical
- produce ATP for muscular work. Also, duration.
reaction to occur
- Enzyme does not become a part of the product
but remains intact as an enzyme
 PHOSPHOCREATINE SYSTEM SLOW GLYCOLYSIS
- Capable of supplying most of the ATP when - "Aerobic glycolysis"
muscular energy is needed for a short time - Pyruvate is converted to acetyl-CoA if oxygen is
- Will supply energy in the beginning stages of all present and to lactic acid if no oxygen is present
types of exercise
- ATP is produced anaerobically. FAST GLYCOLYSIS
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PHOSPHOCREATINE - Breaks down glucose (CHO) to pyruvate and
SYSTEM: eventually to lactic acid anaerobically with the
net production of 2 ATPs
1. It involves only one chemical step. - If glycogen is the substrate, 1 ATP is saved and
2. It is catalyzed by the enzyme creatine kinase there is a net production of 3 ATPs
(CK).
3. Its chemical reaction is very fast. OXIDATIVE SYSTEM
4. One ATP is generated per phosphocreatine
- Aerobically oxidizes or "burns" carbohydrates (or
molecule.
other carbon- containing structures obtained from
5. The reaction lasts for 5 to 10 seconds at maximal
fat or protein)
intensity.
- Two parts:
6. It is anaerobic.
o Krebs cycle
7. Fatigue is associated with the depletion of
o Electron transport system
phosphocreatine.
8. It is the dominant energy system in speed and CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OXIDATIVE
explosive power events. SYSTEM:
GLYCOLYTIC SYSTEM 1. It comprises 124 chemical reactions.
2. It contains 30 compounds and 27 enzymes.
- Also known as anaerobic glycolysis Involves the
3. The rate-limiting enzymes are PFK, ID, and CO.
breakdown of carbohydrate anaerobically to
4. It functions slowly.
produce energy
5. One less ATP is produced if glucose is the sub-
- Two types of glycolysis
strate compared to glycogen as the substrate.
o Fast glycolysis
6. It has a potentially limitless duration at lower
o Slow glycolysis
intensity.
- Produces a net gain of 2 ATPs, but has the ability
7. Fatigue of this system is associated with the
to proceed when there is no O2 present
depletion of fuel (muscle glycogen).
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GLYCOLITIC 8. It is the predominant energy system in endurance
SYSTEM: events, such as marathons.

1. Of its 18 chemical reactions, 6 are repeated.

2. It comprises 12 chemical compounds and 11
KEY POINTS:
enzymes.
3. Phosphofructokinase (PFK) is the rate-limiting - The aerobic system can produce many more
enzyme. ATPs per molecule of glucose than the anaerobic
4. It is fast, but not as fast as the creatine phosphate system, but it cannot produce ATP rapidly; the
system. intensity must remain at or below steady state.
5. It uses 2 ATPs if glucose is the substrate and 3
ATPs if glycogen is the substrate. LACTATE
6. It is anaerobic.
- Lactic acid formed from fast glycolysis IS
7. It functions for 1 to 2 minutes at high (not
immediately changed into lactate
maximal) intensity.
- Is a useful metabolic compound that can be
8. Fatigue associated with decreased pH reflects an
increase in hydrogen ions. transported to the liver and changed to glucose
(gluconeogenesis). Then used by body as fuel
9. It is the predominant energy system in high-
intensity nonmaximal exercise (e.g., an 800- during recovery from exercise.
meter run).
 - LACTATE THRESHOLD: represents the point
where blood lactate begins to increase in
nonlinear fashion at a specific exercise intensity;
can be used as a predictor of performance

EFFICIENCY OF ENERGY-PRODUCING
PATHWAYS
- Depends on the demands of the activity
Anaerobic energy systems are the most efficient
at producing ATP immediately
- Aerobic energy system is the most efficient for
producing ATP over a continuous time.

LIMITING FACTORS OF
PERFORMANCE
- Factors that limit performance relate to:
o Buildup of metabolic by-products
(lactic acid and possibly ammonia)
o Depletion of PCr, or the depletion of
substrate (fats, carbohydrates, or
proteins)
- Limiting metabolic factor in a given activity
depends on the energy system involved in the
activity, which is determined by the intensity and
duration of the activity

METABOLIC FACTORS THAT LIMIT

PERFORMANCE:

ACTIVITY PRIMARY LIMITING

FACTORS
Marathon Muscle glycogen, liver
glycogen
High-Intensity Repeated ATP, muscle glycogen,
decreased pH
High-Intensity Decreased pH

OXYGEN CONSUMPTION
- Ability of the body to take in and use oxygen to
produce energy
- Maximal oxygen consumption (𝑽𝒐𝟐𝒎𝒂𝒙 ) is
considered a measure of cardiorespiratory
endurance
- Initial portion of energy supplied anaerobically
during exercise is termed the oxygen deficit.
- After exercise, this "shortfall" must be
replenished aerobically, and this is called oxygen
debt or excess postexercise oxygen consumption
(EPOC)
- Exercise where the oxygen supply is equal to the
oxygen demand is called steady-state exercise