TOPIC LEARNING

OUTCOMES

3
 ENERGY SOURCES
• From food:
– Carbohydrate: ??
Kcal
– Protein: ?? Kcal
– Fat: ?? Kcal
• For exercise
– ATP= ADP + P+
energy
(for muscle
contraction)

SCHOOL OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS . FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

 ENERGY SOURCES
1. Carbohydrates
(CHO) – Preferred
source of fuel during
exercise (Glycogen)
2. Fat – Concentrated
fuel used during rest
and prolonged sub-
maximal exercise.
3. Protein – Used for
growth and repair
(Negligible use during
exercise)
 There are 3 sources (energy systems)
that the body can use:

1. ATP-PC or CPSystem
Anaerobic
Anaerobic Pathway
Pathway
2. Anaerobic Glycolysis
System/ Lactic Acid
System

Aerobic
Aerobic Pathway
Pathway 3. Aerobic System

SCHOOL OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS . FACULTY OF HEALTH

SCIENCES
 What is Energy?
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
•Energy-carrying molecule found in the cells of all
living things
•ATP captures chemical energy obtained from the
breakdown of food molecules and releases it to fuel
other cellular processes
•Cells require chemical energy for THREE (3) general
tasks
– To derive metabolic reactions that would not occur
automatically
– To transport needed substances across membranes
– To do mechanical work such as moving muscles
 Adenosine Triphosphate
(ATP)

Adenosine P P P

Adenosine P P

P
ENERGY SOURCES
Muscle contraction

Requires energy

This is produced by chemical

breakdown of ATP

ATP ADP + P
 ENERGY SOURCES
There is a limited supply of ATP in muscle cells
(it’s usually used up after 3 – 5 seconds of exercise)

For exercise to continue, ATP has to be re-generated from ADP

using energy obtained from other sources.

ADP + P ATP

Note: ATP: Adenosine triphosphate

ADP: Adenosine diphosphate
P: Phosphate
THE ATP-PC SYSTEM
 ATP-PC System

P C

1ATP

Adenosine P P P
 ATP-PC System
• Short duration (<10 secs)
anaerobic
• Uses stored ATP
• Strength/power movements
• Replenishes rapidly
 ATP-PC System
• Active at the beginning of all forms of
activities
• Esp. important in HIGH INTENSITY
EXERCISES like weight lifting that require
short bursts of energy
• The source of fuel for the ATP-PC system is
ATP and PC that is stored in the muscle. Only
a small quantity can be stored, so this
energy source is only effective for activities
that last ten sec or less
 ATP-PC System
PC – Stored in Muscles
CP: Creatine
Phosphate
Combines with ADP to re-build ATP
C - Creatine
Immediate source of energy

Limited source – lasts up to 10/15 seconds

Very important for bursts of explosive speed

Suitable for short duration events: 100m, throwing/ jumping

athletic events. Phases of team game play.

Replenishing stores of PC takes up to 6 minutes of recovery after

end of exercise

ADP + PC = ATP+ C
THE LACTIC ACID SYSTEM
 Glycolysis
• Breakdown of CHO for fuel
• Fuel stored in the muscle as
glycogen/delivered to the muscle as blood
glucose
• Glycolysis can produce fuel for 30 sec to a
minute for MODERATE HEAVY RESISTANCE
TRAINING
Fast (Anaerobic) Glycolysis
(The lactic acid system)
O2

Glycogen Glucose Pyruvic Acid Lactic acid

Lactate
ENERGY
P
2 ATP Hydrogen ions
(H+)
P
P

Adenosine P P P P P
 Fast (Anaerobic) Glycolysis
(The lactic acid system)
• Fast glycolysis is used when oxygen is in
short supply
• Fast glycolysis results in the formation of
lactic acid
• An increase in lactic acid in the muscle can
involve muscular fatigue and ultimately
cessation of exercise
Fast (Anaerobic) Glycolysis
(The lactic acid system)

SCHOOL OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS . FACULTY OF HEALTH

Fast (Anaerobic) Glycolysis
(The lactic acid system)
• uses muscles at high
intensity and a high rate
of work for a short period
of time.
• helps to increase muscle
strength and stay ready
for quick bursts of speed.
• Examples :heavy weight
lifting, sprinting, or any
rapid burst of hard
exercise.
• These anaerobic
exercises cannot last
long because oxygen is
not used for energy and
fatiguing metabolic by-
products
SCHOOL OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS . FACULTY OF HEALTH
SCIENCES
 Active recovery from
Exercise (Cool Down)
• Facilitates lactate removal
because of
– Increase perfusion of blood through
the liver and heart
– Increases blood flow in muscle
because muscle tissue oxidizes
lactate
 Lactic Acid System
Glycogen made from glucose obtained from digested food present in all
cells of the body – muscles,liver

When glycogen breaks down it releases pyruvicacid and energy.

This energy is used to re-build ATPfrom ADP and P

This system is anaerobic – no O2

Pyruvic acid is easily removed when O2is available

Where there is little O2 it is changed into lactic acid

Muscles fail tocontract fully - fatigue

Energy from this source lasts longer – up to three minutes before build up
of lactic acid prevents furtherenergy production

Suitable for athletes – 200m – 800m. Games players who need to

keep up continuous short bursts of activity

Takes about 20 – 60 minutes to remove accumulated lacticacid

after maximal exercise

ADP + glycogen = ATP +Pyruvic acid (or pyruvic acid without O2)
THE AEROBIC SYSTEM
 Slow (aerobic) glycolysis
(The aerobic system)
Glycogen Glucose Pyruvic Acid Acetyl-CoA 2 ATP

O2 ENERGY

ENERGY
2 ATP Krebs Cycle
CO2
H+

HO2 Electron
transport chain
CO2 34 ATP
 Slow (aerobic) glycolysis
(The aerobic system)
• Slow glycolysis is used if there is
enough oxygen to allow a continuous
supply of fuel
• The by product of this form of
glycolysis is pyruvate, which is not
converted to lactic acid but it is
transported elsewhere.
• Pyruvate is eventually dissipated as
sweat/urine
 Slow (aerobic) glycolysis
(The aerobic system)
• includes lower
intensity activities
performed for
longer periods of
time.
• Activities like
walking, jogging,
swimming, and
cycling require a
great deal of oxygen
to make the energy
needed for
prolonged exercise.
 Aerobic/Oxidative System
• Supplies energy to the muscle through
the use of continuous oxygen transport
• System works at rest and during very
low intensity exercise such as walking
• This form of energy primarily utilizes
fats (70%) and CHO (30%) as fuel
sources, but as intensity is increased
there is a switch in substrate majority
from fats to CHO
 Aerobic System
For longer events – muscles must work aerobically. O2
present

This system can take the pyruvic acid produced when

glycogen
breaks down and turns it into more energy rather than lactic
acid

Supplies energy to athletes who are working sub-maximally

at 60 – 80% of maximum effort and can take in
a constant supply of O2

This system provides most of the energy required

for physical activity lasting longer than about 3 minutes
– long distance activity – runners/ cyclists – Games Players
 Graph to Show – Energy
Released over Time
% of maximum
rate of energy
production
ATP Store
ATP-PC System
Lactic Acid System
Aerobic System

2sec 10sec 1min 2hr s time

SCHOOL OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS . FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

 Oxygen Uptake During
Aerobic Exercise
• Increases sharply at
onset
• Levels off within a
few minutes if pace
is constant (steady
state)
• Oxygen demand met
by supply
 Maximal Oxygen Uptake
(VO2 max)
• The region where
oxygen uptake
plateaus and
does not
increase despite
an additional
increase in
exercise intensity
 Characteristics of the 3
Energy Systems
Fu e l/
En erg y Ae ro b ic / Exe rc ise Sp ort ing
Ene rg y By -p ro duct Du ra ti on NOT ES
Sys te m An a ero bic inten sit y Exa mp le s
Source

ATP/ PC Anaerobic ATP/ PC Creatine High 10 –15 Sprinting, Small muscular

(Flat Out) Seconds athletic field stores of ATP and
events, PC are exhausted
weight-lifting. quickly leading to a
rapid decline in
immediate energy.

Lactic Anaerobic Glycogen Pyruvic High Up to 3 400m Lactic acid is a by-

Acid Glucose Acid/ Lactic Intensity minutes 800m product and can
Acid cause rapid
Racket
sports. fatigue.

Aerobic Aerobic Fat/ Water/ CO2 Low 3 minutes Long distance This system is
glucose onwards running/ limited by
mixture cycling. availability of O2
 Characteristics of the 3
Energy Systems
• The importance of each source of energy for
physical activity depends on:

1. Type of physical activity.

2. Intensity of physical activity.
3. Duration of physical activity.

• In many aspects of physical activity the 3

energy systems work together at different
times to supply the particular type of energy
needed.
 Oxygen Deficit
• Difference between oxygen consumed
during exercise and amount that would
have been consumed had a steady
rate, aerobic metabolism occurred at
onset of exercise
 Oxygen Debt
• When all the ATP required for muscular contraction cannot be
supplied AEROBICALLY, the lactic acid system takes over.
• The side-effect of the body using this system is that there is a
build-up of lactic acid in the muscles and CP stores are
depleted – causing fatigue.
• After strenuous exercise the following have to be completed:
– O2 stores replaced.
– ATP replenished.
– Lactic acid removed.
• The need for extra O2 after strenuous exercise is known as the
O2 DEBT.
• The body pays off this O2 debt by gulping air into the lungs
and panting. As a result, the lactic acid is turned into CO2 and
water.
Training Energy System
Individuals, teachers, coaches need to have a knowledge of
energy systems to:

Identify needs / demands of the physical activity.

Aerobic Anaerobic

Act upon those needs train correctly

Continuous training Interval training

Different methods: To help in training effectively

• Fartlek we should be able to use MHR
• Weight training (MAXIMUM
• Circuit training HEART RATE) ) and VO2 MAX
• Flexibility training to establish the identified
• Plyometrics Training Zones
and Training Thresholds.
 Training Energy System
1. To establish TRAINING ZONES the MHR has to be
decided:
MHR Males = 220 – AGE
2. To gain AEROBIC fitness the exercise should be
maintained between 60 and 80% of the
established MHR.
e.g. 20 year old man
220 – 20 = 200
AEROBIC TRAINING THRESHOLD = 60% OF 200 = 120 HR
• ANAEROBIC TRAINING THRESHOLD = 80% OF 200 = 160 HR
 Training Energy System
3. AEROBIC THRESHOLD is the level of exercise
where the intensity is sufficient to produce a
training effect.
4. ANAEROBIC THRESHOLD is the point where the
Aerobic Mechanisms become overloaded and
anaerobic metabolism begins to play a major role.
5. The thresholds do vary (marginally).
6. The training zone between 60 and 80% MHR is
known as the AEROBIC TRAINING ZONE.
7. Exercising in the zone above the Anaerobic
Training Threshold – 80% MHR, means you are in
the ANAEROBIC TRAINING ZONE.
Energy System For Selected
Sports
Energy System For Selected
Sports
Energy System For Selected
Sports
Energy System For Selected
Sports
 Recap
• The energy system used is chosen
depending on the intensity and duration of
the sport.
• The ATP-PC system is the immediate energy
system.
– It is used when the activity lasts between 0-10
seconds and the intensity is very high.
– No oxygen in present when this energy system is
used.
– A 100m sprint is a prime example where this
energy system will be called upon.
 Recap
• The Glycolytic system is the short term
energy system.
– It’s used when the exercise lasts between
10 seconds up until 2 minutes.
– The exercise is usually of a moderate
intensity.
– A 400m race is a good example where this
system is needed.
 Recap
• Finally the ‘Aerobic’ system.
– This is the long term energy system.
– It is called upon when the exercise is from
2minutes and onwards.
– There is plenty of oxygen available during this
process.
– Marathon running is an example where the
Aerobic system is used.
Recap
 Recap
• ATP-PC System
– Fuel: creatine phosphate
– ATP Yield: 1ATP
• Anaerobic Glycolysis
– Fuel: Glycogen
– ATP Yield:2 ATP
• Aerobic Glycolysis
– Fuel: Glycogen/fat
– ATP Yield: 38 ATP
Recap