Anaerobic exercise is a type of exercise that breaks down glucose in the body without using oxygen; anaerobic means "without oxygen".[1] This type of exercise leads to a buildup of lactic acid.[1] In practical terms, this means that anaerobic exercise is more intense, but shorter in duration than aerobic exercise.[2]

Strength training belongs to anaerobic exercise.
Fox and Haskell formula

The biochemistry of anaerobic exercise involves a process called glycolysis, in which glucose is converted to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary source of energy for cellular reactions.[3]

Anaerobic exercise may be used to help build endurance, muscle strength, and power.[4][5]

Metabolism

edit

Anaerobic metabolism is a natural part of metabolic energy expenditure.[6] Fast twitch muscles (as compared to slow twitch muscles) operate using anaerobic metabolic systems, such that any use of fast twitch muscle fibers leads to increased anaerobic energy expenditure. Intense exercise lasting upwards of four minutes (e.g. a mile race) may still have considerable anaerobic energy expenditure. An example is high-intensity interval training, an exercise strategy that is performed under anaerobic conditions at intensities that reach an excess of 90% of the maximum heart rate. Anaerobic energy expenditure is difficult to accurately quantify.[7] Some methods estimate the anaerobic component of an exercise by determining the maximum accumulated oxygen deficit or measuring the lactic acid formation in muscle mass.[8][9][10]

In contrast, aerobic exercise includes lower intensity activities performed for longer periods of time.[1] Activities such as walking, jogging, rowing, and cycling require oxygen to generate the energy needed for prolonged exercise (i.e., aerobic energy expenditure). For sports that require repeated short bursts of exercise, the aerobic system acts to replenish and store energy during recovery periods to fuel the next energy burst.[11] Therefore, training strategies for many sports demand that both aerobic and anaerobic systems be developed. The benefits of adding anaerobic exercise include improving cardiovascular endurance as well as build and maintaining muscle strength and losing weight.

 
As muscles contract, Calcium ions are released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum by release channels. These channels close and calcium pumps open to relax muscles. After extended exercise, the release channels can begin to leak and cause muscle fatigue.

The anaerobic energy systems are:

High energy phosphates are stored in limited quantities within muscle cells. Anaerobic glycolysis exclusively uses glucose (and glycogen) as a fuel in the absence of oxygen, or more specifically, when ATP is needed at rates that exceed those provided by aerobic metabolism. The consequence of such rapid glucose breakdown is the formation of lactic acid (or more appropriately, its conjugate base lactate at biological pH levels). Physical activities that last up to about thirty seconds rely primarily on the former ATP-CP phosphagen system. Beyond this time, both aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis-based metabolic systems are used.

The by-product of anaerobic glycolysis—lactate—has traditionally been thought to be detrimental to muscle function.[13] However, this appears likely only when lactate levels are very high. Elevated lactate levels are only one of many changes that occur within and around muscle cells during intense exercise that can lead to fatigue. Fatigue, which is muscle failure, is a complex subject that depends on more than just changes to lactate concentration. Energy availability, oxygen delivery, perception to pain, and other psychological factors all contribute to muscular fatigue. Elevated muscle and blood lactate concentrations are a natural consequence of any physical exertion. The effectiveness of anaerobic activity can be improved through training.[14]

Anaerobic exercise also increases an individual's basal metabolic rate (BMR).[15]

Examples

edit

Anaerobic exercises are high-intensity workouts completed over shorter durations, while aerobic exercises include variable-intensity workouts completed over longer durations.[2] Some examples of anaerobic exercises include sprints, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and strength training.[16]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c "Anaerobic: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia". medlineplus.gov. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  2. ^ a b Nutrition and enhanced sports performance : muscle building, endurance, and strength. Bagchi, Debasis,, Nair, Sreejayan,, Sen, Chandan K. Amsterdam. 26 July 2013. ISBN 978-0-12-396477-9. OCLC 854977747.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. ^ Cooper, Geoffrey M. (2000). "Metabolic Energy". The Cell: A Molecular Approach (2nd ed.).
  4. ^ Aouadi, R.; Khalifa, R.; Aouidet, A.; Ben Mansour, A.; Ben Rayana, M.; Mdini, F.; Bahri, S.; Stratton, G. (2011). "Aerobic training programs and glycemic control in diabetic children in relation to exercise frequency". The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. 51 (3): 393–400. PMID 21904277 – via Google Scholar.
  5. ^ d'Hooge, R.; Hellinckx, T.; Van Laethem, C.; Stegen, S.; De Schepper, J.; Van Aken, S.; Dewolf, D.; Calders, P. (2011). "Influence of combined aerobic and resistance training on metabolic control, cardiovascular fitness and quality of life in adolescents with type 1 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial". Clinical Rehabilitation. 25 (4): 349–359. doi:10.1177/0269215510386254. hdl:1854/LU-1095166. PMID 21112904. S2CID 34135496.
  6. ^ Scott, Christopher B (June 2005). "Contribution of anaerobic energy expenditure to whole body thermogenesis". Nutrition & Metabolism. 14. 2 (1): 14. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-2-14. PMC 1182393. PMID 15958171.
  7. ^ Svedahl, Krista; MacIntosh, Brian R (2003). "Anaerobic Threshold: The Concept and Methods of Measurement". Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology. 28 (2): 299–323. doi:10.1139/h03-023. PMID 12825337.
  8. ^ Medbo, JI; Mohn, AC; Tabata, I; Bahr, R; Vaage, O; Sejersted, OM (January 1988). "Anaerobic capacity determined by maximal accumulated O2 deficit". Journal of Applied Physiology. 64 (1): 50–60. doi:10.1152/jappl.1988.64.1.50. PMID 3356666. S2CID 851358.
  9. ^ Di Prampero, PE; G. Ferretti (1 December 1999). "The energetics of anaerobic muscle metabolism" (PDF). Respiration Physiology. 118 (2–3): 103–115. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.610.7457. doi:10.1016/s0034-5687(99)00083-3. hdl:11379/540541. PMID 10647856. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 July 2011.
  10. ^ Scott, Christopher B (2008). A Primer for the Exercise and Nutrition Sciences: Thermodynamics, Bioenergetics, Metabolism. Humana Press. p. 166. ISBN 978-1-60327-382-4.
  11. ^ Vrenjo, K.; Kovaci, F.; Skenderi, Dh.; Kariqi, A. (23 June 2021). "Measurement and Evaluation of Blood Lactic Acid, A Requirement for Predicting the Anaerobic Exercise Load". International Journal of Ecosystems and Ecology Science. 11 (3): 629–632. doi:10.31407/ijees11.335. S2CID 237797609.
  12. ^ a b Robert Donatelli, Sports-specific Rehabilitation, p. 40, Elsevier, 2007 ISBN 0443066426
  13. ^ Westerblad, Håkan (1 February 2002). "Muscle Fatigue: Lactic Acid or Inorganic Phosphate the Major Cause?". Physiology. 17 (1): 17–21. doi:10.1152/physiologyonline.2002.17.1.17. PMID 11821531. S2CID 14589259.
  14. ^ McMahon, Thomas A (1984). Muscles, Reflexes, and Locomotion. Princeton University Press. pp. 37–51. ISBN 978-0-691-02376-2.
  15. ^ Scott, Plisk Steven (February 1991). "Anaerobic metabolic conditioning: a brief review of theory, strategy and practical application". Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 5 (1): 23–34. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  16. ^ Atkins, William A. (2 December 2016). Loy, Loy (ed.). "Anaerobic Exercise". The Gale Encyclopedia of Fitness. Retrieved 23 October 2023.