What The “Fuel” Is Going On Here?Functional Performance of the

Athletic Cell

Tim DiFrancesco PT, DPT, ATC, CSCSHead Strength & Conditioning Coach

Los Angeles Lakers@tdathletesedge

– Recovery/Healing– Hormone production/levels– Lipid Levels– Body composition– Mood – Immune System function– Durability and Function of tissue

• The building blocks of our body/cells• Function of the Athletic Cell

Food as fuel is incomplete

#ProtonPumpIsAGoldMine #NBSCA• Nutrients Energy [Fat or Sugar]• ATP = Currency of energy for the body [Krebs Cycle]

– The Pump is Where AMAZING Happens!

• A turbine/rotating machine that smashes a Phosphate Group onto ADP to create ATP with each turn

• More turns = more ATP/Energy

Improved Functional Performance of the Athlete

• Provide more ATP to the muscles/heart so they can work more/better

Improved Functional Performance of the Athlete

• Proton Pump is Where Amazing Happens!

Harvard video

Improved Functional Performance of the Athlete

• What drives the pump?– H+ Ions flowing into the matrix/mitochondria – Water Wheel

Improved Functional Performance of the Athlete

• Minimize the acid (CO2) in the Mitochondria» Excess CO2 lowers the PH level in the mitochondria and makes it less attractive for H+

ions to want in on the party» The pump won’t spin as much/as fast» Less ATP = less energy source for the muscles/heart» Less function

Improved Functional Performance of the Athlete

• Nutrients Energy (ATP)• Fat vs. Sugar

2 CO2’s will be produced in the Krebs Cycle…NO MATTER WHAT!

Fat vs. SugarThe point

• Respiratory Quotient = CO2 eliminated/O2 Consumed

• .7 for pure fat burn

• 1 for pure sugar burn

Fat vs. Sugar• Practical Applications

• 30% less acid in the cell sounds good…

• Bring on the rats!• 30% Greater cardiac output in fat rats vs. sugar rats• Authors suggest that this affect likely occurs within skeletal muscle as well related to more ATP available

Sato K, et al. Insulin, Ketone Bodies, and Mitochondrial Energy Transduction. The FASEB J. 1995 May; Vol 9: 651-658.

Fat vs. Sugar

• Fat has a shot in this heavy weight bout