Anaerobic metabolism produces energy without oxygen, mainly during short bursts of activity. It uses glycolysis to produce ATP from glucose, but is less efficient than aerobic metabolism. Anaerobic metabolism can be used in conjunction with aerobic metabolism for high energy needs, but sustained use can cause fatigue.
Anaerobic metabolism refers to biological processes that produce energy for an organism without using up oxygen. It is based on chemical reactions within the body where carbohydrates are broken down to release chemical energy. This process mainly occurs when an organism needs a sudden short-term burst of energy or during periods of intense exertion.
The primary source of energy for cellular function is a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (C10H16N5O13P3), or ATP, which releases energy when it is broken down. In most cases, the body produces most of its ATP from fats and carbohydrates through chemical reactions involving oxygen, called aerobic metabolism. Oxygen is carried from the respiratory system to the cells through the blood stream and as an organism’s physical activity increases, breathing and heart rate become faster to increase the oxygen supply for these reactions. However, this process takes time and is therefore inappropriate if the body needs more energy at short notice, for example to make a sudden and rapid movement. Also, during strenuous activity, aerobic metabolism alone may not provide enough energy even after oxygen stores increase.
This is where anaerobic metabolism is important. When an organism needs to rapidly increase its energy intake, anaerobic metabolism allows it to do so immediately instead of waiting for enough oxygen to fuel an increase in aerobic metabolism. It can also be used in conjunction with aerobic metabolism when high levels of energy are needed. For example, a human athlete taking a short, high-speed sprint uses this metabolism to provide himself with a short-term energy boost, while someone taking a long, leisurely run will rely on anaerobic metabolism when starting, but eventually switches to primarily aerobic metabolism once your body has had time to adjust to the increased activity. If the athlete performs a high intensity activity for an extended period, both forms of metabolism can be heavily exploited.
Anaerobic metabolism relies on a metabolic pathway, or series of chemical reactions in the body, called glycolysis. Glycolysis begins with the sugar glucose (C6H12O6) and, through a series of chemical reactions and intermediate compounds, uses them to produce ATP. This process is considerably less energy efficient than aerobic glucose metabolism and produces fewer ATP molecules per glucose molecule, which is why the body will try to rely on aerobic metabolism as much as possible and will use anaerobic metabolism mainly when the only aerobic metabolism is inadequate. Anaerobic glycolysis produces by-products which, accumulated in sufficient quantities, enter the bloodstream and cause fatigue. Therefore, sustained bursts of this metabolism are not sustainable over time.
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