What term describes the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles and liver due to a lack of oxygen?

The term that describes the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles and liver due to a lack of oxygen is oxygen debt. During intense exercise, when the demand for oxygen exceeds the supply available, the body switches from aerobic respiration, which requires oxygen, to anaerobic respiration, which does not. This shift leads to the production of lactic acid as a byproduct. Oxygen debt refers to the amount of oxygen that must be taken in to metabolize the accumulated lactic acid and replenish the body’s energy stores after the activity has ceased.

The importance of recognizing oxygen debt lies in understanding the physiological responses during and after strenuous activity. It highlights how the body manages energy production and how it recovers post-exercise. Inadequate oxygen leads to anaerobic metabolism, resulting in lactic acid accumulation, which can cause muscle fatigue and discomfort, but is eventually cleared from the body with sufficient oxygen intake.

Other terms, like antagonists, relate to muscle pairs that work opposite each other, while cardiac muscle refers specifically to the muscle of the heart. Skeletal muscle is a type of muscle tissue that moves bones but does not directly describe the physiological process of lactic acid accumulation due to oxygen deficiency.