CO2

links: reference: 4-16-2021

CO2 #

Many organisms can live and reproduce even without oxygen, but they could find no cell or organism that could live and reproduce in the absence of carbon dioxide. Around ~30mmol/L is ideal. (4/12 I got 23mmol/L). A good way to gauge recovery is: first thing in the morning, take 4 full inhales and exhales. On the 5th, blow out through the mouth as slow as possible. If it’s >30 seconds, or an epic 2 minutes, your CO2 discard rate is doing well.

• The measurement of CO2 production relative to oxygen consumption is a great indicator of Thyroid hormone activity.
• “Because oxygen at lower pressure displaces less carbon dioxide from the blood, the body is able to retain more carbon dioxide at high altitude.” Peat
• CO2 inhibition of the generation of reactive oxygen species in cells of internal organs and its biological importance
  • The results substantiate the important evolutionary role of CO2 for the maintenance of life on Earth with the appearance of potentially toxic oxygen. Holy based…
• Decreased CO2 makes proteins more susceptible to Free radicals
• Increasing CO2 production restores the balance between NAD+ and NADH 11
• CO2 increases (cerebral) blood flow and Vasodilation R

Respiratory Quotient #

• Ratio of CO2 production to O2 consumption. 1 (can go higher) = 100% carb oxidation, 0.7 = 100% fatty acid oxidation.
  • 0.7 = pure fat oxidation.
  • 30% carb diet = ~0.80.
  • 60% carb diet = ~0.90. The RQ doesn’t look like it, but the % does; this is a doubling of carb oxidation from 30%.

Bohr Effect #

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen%E2%80%93hemoglobin_dissociation_curve#Factors_that_affect_the_standard_dissociation_curve

• The decreased affinity for O2 enhances the unloading of it into tissues to meet its demand.

• Hemoglobin can bind 4 O2 molecules. The first is difficult but it facilitates the binding of the remaining by dissociating H+ protons.

• Decrease in pH = increase in H+ concentration. This factor leads to a change in protein folding with the amino acids in hemoglobin, which changes their affinity. This shift is the ’taut form’, as opposed to the ‘relaxed form’.

• Converted to carbonic acid ($\ce{H2CO3}$) via carbonic anhydrase. But it (partially and reversibly) dissociates into $\ce{H+ + HCO3-}$ (bicarbonate), which represents the majority of blood CO2 content.

• Normal minute ventilation of 6L/min, but certain conditions can bring it up to 15.

• Allosteric mechanisms underlying the adaptive increase in hemoglobin–oxygen affinity of the bar-headed goose

  • Hypoxia leads to increased levels of Glycolysis (anaerobic?) resulting in 2,3-BPG, shifting the curve to the right.

• Effects of Long-Term Exposure to 2260 m Altitude on Working Memory and Resting-State Activity in the Prefrontal Cortex: A Large-Sample Cross-Sectional Study

  • Not looking good.