Exercise Metabolism and

Bioenergetics

Exercise Physiology – Day 09

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Purpose

 To provide basic information on energy

metabolism and bioenergetics that will
be useful in helping personal trainers
plan safe and effective exercise
programs for their clients.

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Objectives

 After this presentation, the participant will be

able to:
 Describe the primary methods of how the body
produces energy for exercise.
 Differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic
metabolism.
 Distinguish which energy pathways predominate
for various intensities and durations of exercise.

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Objectives

 Understand the interaction of carbohydrate, fat,

and protein as fuels for exercise.
 State the differences in the energy use during
steady state and exhaustive exercise.
 Discriminate between the energy requirements of
steady state versus intermittent exercise.
 Describe basic training-induced adaptations in
energy production.

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Bioenergetics

 Bioenergetics - the study of how

energy is transformed through various
biochemical reactions.
 Metabolism - all the chemical reactions
that occur in the body to maintain itself.
 Exercise metabolism - the examination
of bioenergetics as it relates to the unique
physiologic changes and demands placed
on the body during exercise.

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Nutrient Substrates

 Proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids (fats)

constitute the main substrates used to
transfer metabolic energy to be used for all
types of cellular activity and life.
 Carbohydrates provide the body with a
source of fuel and energy required for all
daily activities including exercise.
 The storage form of carbohydrates is called
glycogen.
Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company
Nutrient Substrates

 Another important source of energy is fat.

The chemical or substrate form in which most
fat exists in food as well as in the body is
called triglycerides.
 The third fuel source is protein; protein rarely
supplies much energy during exercise.
 Gluconeogenesis - the formation of glucose
from non-carbohydrate sources, such as
amino acids.
Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company
Energy and Work

 Adenosine triphosphate: one of the primary

sources of immediate energy for cellular
metabolism.
 Stored in chemical bonds.
 When the chemical bonds that hold ATP together
are broken, energy is released for cellular work
(leaving adenosine diphosphate [ADP]).
 ATP is required to perform mechanical work.

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Energy and Work

 ATP-PC system: provides energy for short-

duration, high-intensity work, by replenishing ATP
rapidly (6–10 seconds).
 Glycolysis: provides energy through the
breakdown of glucose to create ATP for
moderate-intensity, moderate-duration work (30–
50 seconds).
 Oxidative system: the most complex of the three
energy systems; a process that uses substrates
with the aid of oxygen to generate ATP.
Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company
Energy and Work

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

ATP-PC System

 ATP-PC System
 Energy within the ATP molecule is used for
muscle contraction.
 PC stands for phosphocreatine
 The process is entirely anaerobic.
 Phosphocreatine hydrolysis regenerates ATP by
giving its phosphate to ADP to form ATP.
 All forms of intense exercise, such as sprinting,
weight lifting, and gymnastics, are possible
because of the phosphagen system.
Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company
ATP-PC System

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Glycolysis

 Glycolytic System
 Is an anaerobic process
 Metabolic pathway that converts glucose to
pyruvic acid and yields a net production of:
 Two ATP molecules
 Two molecules of reduced NAD
 The reduced NAD is oxidized by the conversion of pyruvic
acid to lactic acid.
 Used for moderate-duration work (30-50 seconds)

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Anaerobic Metabolism

Video: Anaerobic Systems (ATP-PC &

Anaerobic Glycolysis)

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

The Oxidative System

 The three oxidative or aerobic systems

include:
1. Aerobic glycolysis
2. The Krebs cycle
3. The electron transport chain (ETC)
Fat can also be metabolized aerobically. The first step in
the oxidation of fat is a process referred to as β-oxidation.
 Produces lots of ATP, but very slowly.

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Oxidative Metabolism

Video: Aerobic System (Aerobic Glycolysis)

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Energy During Exercise

 Intensity and duration of exercise are

inversely related.
 The amount of energy available from stored ATP
and phosphocreatine is small, whereas the
amount of energy from stored carbohydrate has a
greater capacity, but is still limited.
 The amount of available fuel for exercise from fats
is essentially unlimited.
 The bioenergetics of exercise can be indirectly
measured in a laboratory using various modes of
exercise.
Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company
Energy During Exercise

 Costs of exercise vary depending on

conditions.
 Lying supine burns fewer calories than standing
exercise.
 The body prefers oxidative metabolism.
 Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption:
elevated oxygen consumption after strenuous
exercise.
 During intermittent work, glycolysis provides
energy for work, oxidative system provides
recovery.
Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company
Fuel Contribution During Exercise

 The respiratory quotient (RQ) - the

amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) expired
divided by the amount of oxygen (O2)
consumed
 measured during rest or at steady state of
exercise using a metabolic analyzer.
 An RQ of 1.0 indicates that carbohydrate is
supplying 100% of the fuel.
 An RQ of 0.7 indicates that fat is supplying 100% of
the fuel.
 An RQ between 0.7 and 1.0 indicates a
combination.

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company

Summary

 Bioenergetics is the study of how energy is

transformed through various biochemical
reactions.
 Metabolism refers to all the chemical reactions that
occur in the body to maintain itself.
 Proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids (fats) constitute the
main substrates used.
 ATP is the chemical form of energy derived from three
pathways.
 RQ determines percentage of fat, carbohydrates, or
protein utilized in exercise.

Copyright©2015 by National Academy of Sports Medicine, an Ascend Learning Company