Chemistry -------my lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?

After a vigorous exercise, you may experience cramps in your leg muscles. Why does this
happen?
Warning a lot of nerdy information to follow:

During power-intensive exercises such as sprinting, when the rate of demand for energy is high, lactate is produced faster than the ability of the tissues to remove it and lactate concentration begins to rise. This is a beneficial process since the regeneration of NAD+ ensures that energy production is maintained and exercise can continue. The increased lactate produced can be removed in a number of ways including oxidation to pyruvate by well-oxygenated muscle cells which is then directly used to fuel the citric acid cycle and conversion to Glucose via the Cori cycle in the liver through the process of gluconeogenesis.
Contrary to popular belief, this increased concentration of lactate does not directly cause acidosis, nor is it responsible for delayed onset Muscle Soreness.

The acidosis that is associated with increases in lactate concentration during heavy exercise arises from a separate reaction. When ATP is hydrolysed, a hydrogen ion is released. ATP-derived hydrogen ions are primarily responsible for the decrease in pH. During intense exercise, aerobic metabolism cannot produce ATP quickly enough to supply the demands of the muscle. As a result, anaerobic metabolism becomes the dominant energy producing pathway as it can form ATP at high rates. Due to the large amounts of ATP being produced and hydrolysed in a short period of time, the buffering systems of the tissues are overcome, causing pH to fall and creating a state of acidosis. This may be one factor, among many, that contributes to the acute muscular discomfort experienced shortly after intense exercise.

If you are referring to cramps during exercise, that is something different. You can email me if you want that answer or if you would like a further explaination. Hope this helps.

Chris
M.S.,C.S.C.S.

Chemistry -------my lord!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!? Keyword

Muscle Soreness , Why does , After I , Glucose , the do , Eating , Cell