Aerobic respiration is the most efficient way to produce the energy needed during exercise. if oxygen supplies are depleted, explain what will occur if the exercise continues. how will this affect the athlete? explain your answer.

If there is no oxygen available (common in sprints) the body goes into anaerobic respiration where the body still produces ATP (energy) through the breaking down of sugars however only a small portion of ATP is produced in this method and also lactic acid forms in the muscles that desperately require this energy. This is why if there is a prolonged anaerobic activity it will produce pain in one's muscles due to the production of lactic acid. Lactic acid is a waste product that has to be removed by the body or it will produce long term damages to the person. When one has lactic acid it means the body also went into oxygen debt that means that there wasn't enough oxygen to take care of energy production thus the person has to breath and stretch a lot after an anaerobic exercise so the body breaks down the lactic acid.