During intense exercise, why does hemoglobin's oxygen-binding affinity decrease in muscle tissue capillaries where both carbon dioxide and lactic acid concentrations are elevated?

💡 Explanation

The Bohr effect explains decreased hemoglobin affinity because increased carbon dioxide and lactic acid lead to a lower pH, causing protonation of hemoglobin. This protonation stabilizes the T (tense) state, therefore oxygen is released more readily, rather than being more tightly bound.

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