Want a truly athletic body? Then carefully study the role of ATP with the bodybuilder's body during an intense training process.
For life, the body needs energy and ATP is used to obtain it. Without this substance, the body simply cannot work. In this article, we will talk about the role of adenosine triphosphate in bodybuilding.
Mechanisms of formation and use of adenosine triphosphate
Adenosine triphosphate is used by all cells in the body for energy. Thus, ATP is a universal source of energy for the human body. All processes that take place in the body require energy, including muscle contraction.
In order for the body to be able to synthesize ATP, raw materials are needed, which for humans is food, which is oxidized in the digestive system. Then it is necessary to produce an ATP molecule and only after that the necessary energy can be obtained.
However, this process consists of several stages. In the first of them, thanks to the action of a special coenzyme, one phosphate is separated from the ATP molecule, giving ten calories of energy. The result is a new substance - ADP (adenosine diphosphate). If the energy obtained after the separation of the first phosphate is not enough, then the second is separated. This reaction is accompanied by the release of ten more calories of energy and the formation of the substance adenosine monophosphate (AMP). ATP molecules are made from glucose, which is broken down in cells into pyruvate and cytosol.
If there is no need for rapid energy production, then a reverse reaction takes place, during which an ATP molecule is again produced from ADP, by adding a new phosphate group. This process uses glucose derived from glycogen. ATP can be called a kind of battery, which, if necessary, gives off energy, and if it is not required, then charging takes place. Let's take a look at the structure of the ATP molecule.
It consists of three elements:
- Ribose is a five-carbon saccharide also used in the formation of the backbone of human DNA.
- Adenine - a compound of nitrogen and carbon atoms.
- Triphosphate.
Ribose is located in the middle of the ATP molecule and adenine is attached to it on one side. The triphosphates are linked in a chain and are attached to the ribose from the opposite end. The average person spends 200 to 300 moles of ATP during the day. It should be noted that at a given moment the number of ATP molecules is no more than 0.1 mol. Thus, the substance must be resynthesized during the day from two to three thousand times. The body does not create reserves of ATP and synthesizes the substance as needed.
ATP resynthesis methods
Since ATP is used by all body systems, there are three ways of synthesizing this substance:
- Phosphagenic.
- Use of glycogen and lactic acid.
- Aerobic breathing.
The phosphagenic method of ATP synthesis is used in cases where short-term but intense work is performed, lasting no more than 10 seconds. The essence of the reaction is the combination of ATP and creatine phosphate. This method of synthesis of ATP allows you to constantly create a small amount of energy carrier. Muscles have stores of creatine phosphate and the body can synthesize ATP.
To obtain the ATP molecule, the coenzyme creatine kinase takes one phosphate group from creatine phosphate, and it binds to ADP. This reaction proceeds very quickly and after just 10 seconds, the creatine stores in the muscles decrease. The phosphagenic method is used, for example, in sprint races.
When using the system of glycogen and lactic acid, the rate of ATP production is significantly lower in comparison with the former. However, thanks to this process, the body provides itself with energy for one and a half minutes of work. As a result of anaerobic metabolism, glucose in the cells of muscle tissue is converted into lactic acid.
Since oxygen is not used during anaerobic exercise, this system is able to provide the body with energy for a short period of time, without using the cardio-respiratory system for this. An example of using this system would be middle distance running. If the work is done for more than two minutes, then aerobic respiration is used to obtain ATP. First, carbohydrates are used to produce ATP, then fats and then amines. Amino acid compounds can be used by the body to obtain ATP only under fasting conditions.
The aerobic system for the synthesis of ATP takes the longest compared to the two previously discussed reactions. However, the received energy can provide work for a couple of hours.
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