
Muscles obtain oxygen from the air we breathe. The oxygen enters the blood stream and is carried to the muscles, where it is used to create energy. The amount of oxygen that muscles utilise depends on two processes: getting the blood to the muscles, and extracting oxygen from the blood into the muscle tissue. The body can increase the flow of oxygen-rich blood to working muscles in several ways, including increasing local blood flow to the muscle and diverting blood flow from nonessential organs. The amount of oxygen that muscles require depends on the workload, with muscles requiring more oxygen as the workload increases.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How muscles obtain oxygen | The body obtains oxygen from the air breathed in. It enters the bloodstream and is carried to the muscles. |
| How oxygen is used by muscles | Oxygen is used immediately or stored by a compound called myoglobin. |
| How much oxygen is used by muscles | Muscles use three times the amount of oxygen when active compared to when at rest. |
| How muscles regulate oxygen consumption | An enzyme called FIH determines how muscles consume oxygen. |
| How oxygen is transported to muscles | Oxygen is pumped by the heart through the vascular system to the rest of the body. |
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What You'll Learn

Oxygen enters the blood stream and is carried to the muscles
The amount of oxygen muscles utilise depends on two processes: getting the blood to the muscles, and extracting oxygen from the blood into the muscle tissue. When muscles are working, they take oxygen out of the blood three times more than when they are at rest. Muscles will stop working without oxygen, especially if you are exercising for more than a couple of minutes. A new study shows that an enzyme called FIH determines how muscles consume oxygen. Without the enzyme, the need for oxygen increases during physical exercise.
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Oxygen is stored by a compound called myoglobin
The body obtains oxygen from the air we breathe. It enters the blood stream and is carried to the muscles, where some of it is used immediately and the rest is stored by a compound called myoglobin. Muscles require more oxygen when they are active than when they are at rest. The body can increase the flow of oxygen-rich blood to working muscles in several ways, including increasing local blood flow to the working muscle and diverting blood flow from nonessential organs. The amount of oxygen muscles utilise depends on two processes: first, getting the blood to the muscles; second, extracting oxygen from the blood into the muscle tissue.
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Blood flow from nonessential organs is diverted to the working muscle
Muscles obtain oxygen from the air we breathe. The oxygen enters the bloodstream and is carried to the muscles, where some of it is used immediately and the rest is stored by a compound called myoglobin. When muscles are working, they take in three times as much oxygen as when they are at rest. The body can increase the flow of oxygen-rich blood to working muscles in several ways, including increasing local blood flow to the working muscle and diverting blood flow from nonessential organs to the working muscle.
During physical exercise, the need for oxygen increases. Muscles performing work require increasing amounts of energy as the workload increases, which correspondingly requires more and more oxygen. We breathe more when we exercise to help remove the large amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that is produced by the working muscles. As carbon dioxide levels increase, hydrogen ions are also produced, which reduces the pH of the system. This is tightly regulated through chemoreceptors in the brain and carotid arteries.
A new study shows that an enzyme called FIH determines how muscles consume oxygen. Without the enzyme, the need for oxygen increases during physical exercise. Elite athletes have been found to have higher levels of FIH in their muscles than others.
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Muscles require more oxygen when active
When muscles are working, they take in three times as much oxygen as when they are at rest. The body increases the flow of oxygen-rich blood to working muscles in several ways, including increasing local blood flow to the working muscle and diverting blood flow from nonessential organs.
The amount of oxygen that muscles utilise depends on two processes: first, getting the blood to the muscles, and second, extracting oxygen from the blood into the muscle tissue. Without oxygen, muscles will stop working, especially if the exercise continues for more than a couple of minutes.
Muscles performing work require increasing amounts of energy as the workload increases, which, in turn, requires more oxygen. We breathe more when we exercise to help remove the large amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that is produced by the working muscles.
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An enzyme called FIH determines how muscles consume oxygen
The body obtains oxygen from the air we breathe. It is then pumped by the heart through the vascular system to the rest of the body. The oxygen is released into the cells where it is used to break down molecules to create energy. Muscles require more energy when they are working, which means they require more oxygen. The body can increase the flow of oxygen-rich blood to working muscles in several ways: by increasing local blood flow to the working muscle and by diverting blood flow from nonessential organs to the working muscle.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscles obtain oxygen from the air we breathe.
Oxygen is pumped by the heart through the vascular system to the rest of the body. The blood flow to working muscles is increased, and blood flow from nonessential organs is diverted to the working muscle.
Some of the oxygen is used immediately, and the rest is stored by a compound called myoglobin.
An enzyme called FIH determines how muscles consume oxygen.
Muscles will stop working without oxygen, especially if you are exercising for more than a couple of minutes.










































