Answer
Another name for oxygen debt is excess post exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). The presence of this condition is indicated when we breathe heavily for several minutes after exercising. It represents the increased rate of oxygen consumption when we come to a state of rest after exercising.
Some causes for this condition are the following:
1. Exercise depletes our store of ATP
2. The store of creatine phosphate (CP) is also depleted during exercise.
3. Oxygen is neeed to reoxygenate myoglobin
Work Step by Step
Other reasons for EPOC
4. The liver supply of oxygen used to dispose of lactic acid during exercise needs to be replenished
5. Oxygen consumption was extraordinarily high during exercise because of increases in body temperature and in metabolic rate.
Effects of EPOC breathing
First ATP and creatine phosphate (CP) are replenished during the early post exercise minutes. However, oxygen consumption remains high for as long as an hour while lactic acid is being oxidized.
During the phase of EPOC oxygen consumption may get as high as six-fold basal oxygen consumption rate.
