Aerobic and Anaerobic Respiration

Under normal conditions, the body cells go through aerobic respiration, which is a long process where oxygen is used to convert the stored up glucose molecules, completely into energy. Anaerobic respiration also takes place in human beings when we exercise rigorously. During this time, we tend to take in less oxygen and this lack of oxygen prevents the oxygen from breaking down completely. This 'oxygen debt' results in the formation of an acid, or rather a 'poison' called lactic acid. There are many differences between the two types of respiration, the most important being the difference between the amount of energy released. In aerobic respiration, we get about 38 ATP molecules of energy from a single glucose molecule, while in anaerobic respiration only 2 ATP molecules of energy are released for the same quantity of glucose. So it is always advantageous to take breaks while exercising.