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Homeostasis- Muscle cramps
Muscle cramps occur in the body often during exercise when there is not
enough oxygen being delivered to the body, resulting in a build-up of lactic acid.
Our body relies on glucose and oxygen to produce ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)
through cellular respiration, a complex method of converting nutrients into
energy, that is split into 3 steps. In glycolysis, glucose is converted to pyruvate,
resulting in a net gain of 2 ATP and 2 NADH. Glycolysis only needs glucose
(C6H12O6 ) and 2 ATP to begin the reaction. As the process of cellular respiration
continues, the Krebs cycle and electron transport chain require oxygen in order to
produce most of the energy made in cellular respiration, 36 ATP. Glycolysis is
considered an anaerobic process, meaning it does not require oxygen, while
Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain are considered aerobic processes, as
oxygen is required. In anaerobic cellular respiration, pyruvate cannot enter
Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain; instead lactic fermentation occurs,
producing ATP and lactic acid.
During exercise, more ATP energy needs to be produced to keep the body
regulated, which also results in the need for more oxygen. The most ATP is
actually produced by the electron transport chain, the last step of cellular
respiration. The final electron acceptor is oxygen, as it creates a pull for the high
energy electrons through the electron transport chain, which in turn creates
energy to move the H+ ions into the intermembrance space, creating a gradient
that causes them to be forced through the ATP synthase complex where the
majority of the ATP is created. Muscle cramps are a result of a negative
imbalance in the body, the amount of oxygen is not in a homeostasis state, and
can have negative implications (there is not enough oxygen at the end of the
transport chain to compensate for the necessary ATP needed in the increase of
muscle contractions).
In order for the muscles to contract ATP is extremely necessary as it is a
crucial part of the sliding filament theory, which is the contraction of skeletal
muscles. The body cannot function without ATP, and this can be seen with the
toxin cyanide which works by blocking enzymes in cellular respiration ultimately
resulting in a loss of ATP, shutting down vital systems until death. This obviously
does not occur every time you exercise, and the body has a way to regulate this.
Anaerobic cellular respiration results in a gain of 2 ATP per cycle, as opposed to
36 ATP in aerobic; however this small amount of ATP can keep the body
functioning for small amounts of time. This happens because when pyruvate is
created from glycolysis it has basically three fates based on the availability of
oxygen. If oxygen is available it will go through the intermediate step which will
convert it to aceytl CoA and it will be used in the Kreb’s cycle, then the electron
transport chain, where ATP will become available for muscle contraction. If
oxygen is not as available, it will use one of the two types of anaerobic respiration
either ethonal fermantation or lactic acid fermentation. In the case of muscle
cramps, lactic acid fermentation is used in order to maintain homeostasis
throughout the body. Through the process of lactic acid fermentation pyruvate is
reduced and converted into 2 lactate, the lactate then creates lactic acid. Muscle
cramps are caused by a build up of the lactic acid created in lactic acid
fermentation. Although only temporary lactic acid fermentation allows the body
to compensate for the lack of oxygen, most commonly due to exercise, and create
a small amount of ATP to temporarily keep the body functioning until more
oxygen is available. In order to eliminate lactic acid build up, reducing muscle
cramps, one must attempt to keep an even steady breath, allowing the most
possible oxygen to be available to the body during exercise.
WORKS CITED
Bailey, �. (n.d.). Cellular Respiration. Biology. Retrieved July 10, 2011, from
http://biology.about.com/od/cellularprocesses/a/cellrespiration.htm
Cellular Respiration. (n.d.). InDepthInfo: Information Delivered In-Depth. Retrieved
July 10, 2011, from http://www.indepthinfo.com/biology/cellular-respiration.shtml
Roth, S., & Ph.D.. (n.d.). Lactic Acid Build Up and Soreness in Muscles. The original
Judo Information Site. Retrieved July 10, 2011, from
http://judoinfo.com/soreness.htm
What are three different fates for pyruvate and under what conditions do they
occur? - Yahoo! Answers. (n.d.). Yahoo! Answers - Home. Retrieved July 10, 2011,
from http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20101203121131AADFu1M