A sprinter feels cramps and pain in the thigh muscles after a run. Thi

A sprinter feels cramps and pain in the thigh muscles after a run. This is due to accumulation of

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lactic acid

CO₂

pyruvic acid

ethanol

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This question was previously asked in

UPSC CDS-1 – 2023

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Muscle cramps and pain after intense exercise like sprinting are primarily caused by the accumulation of lactic acid.

During strenuous exercise when oxygen supply to muscle cells is limited, muscles switch to anaerobic respiration. This process breaks down glucose to produce energy (ATP) and lactic acid as a byproduct. The buildup of lactic acid lowers the pH in muscle cells, contributing to fatigue, pain, and muscle cramps.

Under sufficient oxygen conditions, muscles perform aerobic respiration, breaking down glucose completely to produce much more ATP, carbon dioxide, and water. Pyruvic acid is an intermediate product in both aerobic and anaerobic respiration. Ethanol is produced during anaerobic respiration in yeast and some plant tissues, but not typically in human muscles.

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