Question

When you are exercising, your muscles produce more lactic acid as a biproduct of their increased activity. Explain why adjusting your breathing rate helps to prevent acidemia from the increased lactic acid being generated.

Answer 1

- Acidemia is the increased amount of hydrogen ions (H+) in the blood. During exercise, there is intense muscular activity which causes body to generate energy rapidly through glycolysis in which glucose is broken down anaerobically (in absence of oxygen) to produce energy. Lactic acid is the by-product of glycolysis which can lead to acidemia. Muscle cramps are also a symptom of accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles.

- Increased and deep breathing during exercise causes more oxygen to the enter the lungs which helps in breaking down the lactic acid produced as a result of glycolysis. Lactic acid is broken down by oxygen into carbon dioxide and water and carbon dioxide is exhaled out of the body during expiration.

- Thus, if an individual is breathing rapidly and deeply, the lactic acid produced during exercise from glycolysis is continuously broken down into carbon dioxide and water and as the breathing rate is also high the excessive carbon dioxide is continuously washed out from the body. Thus, taking deep and rapid breaths help to prevent acidemia during exercise as it prevents building up of lactic acid by converting excessive lactic acid into carbon dioxide and water and the carbon dioxide is later exhaled out.