How do my muscles get the energy to perform work?

 Muscles convert chemical energy into energy of motion.

They use the chemical energy of the food we eat.

We need this energy to enable growth and repair of tissues, to maintain body temperature and to fuel physical activity.

The source of energy of our body is the ATP (adenosine triphosphate).

Once the muscle contraction starts our body makes more ATP. There are three biochemical systems to produce ATP:

  1. using creatine phosphate (with oxygen): All of our muscles got a little bit of ATP but it only last for 3 seconds. So our body creates ATP breaking down creatine phosphate to create it quickly. 8-10 seconds.
  2. using glycogen (without oxygen): Fortunately, our body contains a carbohydrate called glycogen, so we can produce ATP from glucose. But it supplies the energy more slowly than from creatine phosphate. It lasts about 90 seconds, but we don't need oxygen, so our heart and lungs can increase the oxygen in our body.
  3. aerobic respiration (with oxygen): After two minutes of exercise, your body starts to supply working muscles with oxygen. Aerobic respiration can take place to break down the glucose for ATP. It comes from diferent places:
    • Remaining glucose supply in the muscle cells.
    • Glucose from food in the intestine.
    • Glycogen in the liver.
    • Fat reserves in the muscles.
    • In extreme cases, your body can use its own protein.
How it works?
  • For the first 3 seconds, your muscle cells use the ATP they have within them.
  • For the next 8-10 seconds, your muscles use creatine phosphate stores to provide ATP.
  • The glycogen system kicks in.
  • Finally aerobic respiration takes over.



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