Muscle fatigue in the body of an athlete is due to__________
Muscle fatigue in the body of an athlete is due to the "accumulation of lactic acid".
When an athlete engages in intense physical activity, their muscles require a large amount of energy to contract and relax rapidly. This energy is supplied by a process called cellular respiration, which involves the breakdown of glucose to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the main source of energy for muscle contraction.
However, during intense exercise, the body may not be able to supply enough oxygen to the muscles to sustain cellular respiration. In the absence of oxygen, the body switches to a different metabolic pathway called anaerobic respiration, which produces energy more quickly but also generates lactic acid as a byproduct.
As lactic acid accumulates in the muscles, it can lead to a drop in pH, which can interfere with the chemical reactions required for muscle contraction. This can cause the muscles to become fatigued, making it more difficult for the athlete to continue exercising at a high level of intensity.
In summary, muscle fatigue in athletes is caused by the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles, which can interfere with the chemical reactions required for muscle contraction. This buildup of lactic acid is a result of the switch to anaerobic respiration during intense exercise, which occurs when there is not enough oxygen available to sustain cellular respiration.