Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and Its Applications

The essential text for graduate students studying exercise physiology.

Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and Its Applications, Sixth Edition, provides advanced exercise physiology students with the high-level background information needed to excel in the field of exercise physiology. With guidance from expert authors at the forefront of exercise physiology, explore the interrelationship of exercise, metabolism, and energy storage.

With special attention devoted to revisions that add clarity and consistency throughout the text, the sixth edition also contains a wealth of other updates:

• More information on the lactate shuttle theory—from lead author George Brooks, the developer of the concept
• Updated content covering metaboreflex, lipid metabolism, and pulmonary ventilation
• Expanded discussion of the control of gene expression of muscle protein
• New content on diseases and guidelines on prevention and management
• Updated information on metabolite homeostasis

Often referred to as the “bible of the field,” Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and Its Applications unpacks the principles of bioenergetics, taking readers through the mechanisms of performance as determined by physical and chemical factors. The evolution of exercise physiology as a field is traced back through history, framing present-day breakthroughs through the lens of historical practices. Readers will investigate the capabilities and limits of human physical function, examining exercise not just from a high-performance perspective but also in terms of health benefits.

The text has added pedagogical learning aids that make engaging with the content easier, such as chapter objectives, chapter summaries, and review questions. Original figures and tables from the authors encourage critical thinking and help with the practical application of concepts in the book.

Students can rest assured that they are learning from legends with the sixth edition of Exercise Physiology: Human Bioenergetics and Its Applications. With updated content and new breakthroughs, as well as the book’s reputation as a must-use resource, this text is the best choice for graduate students in exercise physiology.

George A. Brooks, PhD, is best known for developing the lactate shuttle theory and identifying the role of the mitochondrial reticulum in metabolism. He is a distinguished professor of integrative biology at University of California, Berkeley, where he has been teaching since 1971. He is a fellow of the American Physiological Society (APS), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and the European College of Sport Science (ECSS).

Brooks was awarded the Walter B. Cannon Award lectureship in 2025 for his groundbreaking research. He was the keynote speaker at the 2025 American Physiology Summit. He has also earned the Honor Award designation from both the American College of Sports Medicine (2007) and the American Physiological Society’s Exercise and Environmental Physiology Section (2014).

Thomas Fahey, EdD, is a professor emeritus of California State University, Chico, where he received the Outstanding Professor Award. An avid masters track and field discus athlete, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award/Lad Pataki Award (2018) as well as an Outstanding Masters Field Athlete (2008) from USA Track and Field. He retired from teaching in 2018 but not before working at UC Berkeley, Stanford University, and other institutions, including California State University, Chico, where he finalized his 50-year teaching career. He has continued to stay abreast of the research in the field and has authored or coauthored over 33 books. He has also written two personal trainer courses.

Fahey was honored to be the doping control director for soccer at the Stanford venue for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. A familiar face within the athletic community, Fahey was the 1998 Master’s National and World discus champion, and he is a four-time gold medalist at the World Masters Games. He earned medals in five consecutive world championships (spanning 20 years) and secured 11 straight national titles.

Kenneth Baldwin, PhD, completed his doctorate in exercise physiology in 1970 under Charles Tipton at the University of Iowa. He finished postdoctoral training under John Holloszy at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. His research interests focused on exercise-induced biochemical and functional adaptations in heart and skeletal muscle. As one of the first faculty members recruited to the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Medicine, he played an important role in shaping the teaching, research and governance of the school, known in the beginning as the California College of Medicine. He served as senior associate dean for academic affairs from 1989 to 1996.

He served on the Space Studies Board of the National Academy of Sciences, overseeing research for animals and humans in space. He also organized a 2018 symposium for the National Academy of Sciences at their headquarters in Washington, D.C., to consider the formidable physiological challenges for space travel to and from Mars. He was honored by Springfield College with their Distinguished Alumnus award in 2016. He also received the American Physiological Society’s Living History Award and UCI’s Outstanding Emeritus Award in 2019. Regrettably, Dr. Baldwin passed away in October 2023.