Final answer:
Blood buffers, specifically the bicarbonate buffer system, help maintain acid-base homeostasis by neutralizing excess hydrogen ions during high-intensity exercise, which helps to stabilize blood pH and support anaerobic performance.
a. slowing the rate of increase in plasma H+ and thus, maintaining pH homeostasis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Blood buffers play a crucial role in maintaining acid-base homeostasis during intense physical activity. The effect of blood buffers in improving anaerobic performances is primarily by slowing the rate of increase in plasma H+ and thus, maintaining pH homeostasis. During exercise, lactic acid production increases, resulting in a higher concentration of hydrogen ions, which reduces the pH of the blood. The buffering system, primarily involving the bicarbonate buffer system, counters this by neutralizing the excess hydrogen ions with bicarbonate ions (HCO3−), subsequently forming carbonic acid (H2CO3) which breaks down into carbon dioxide and water, where carbon dioxide can be exhaled. This process effectively minimizes pH changes in the blood, ensuring the proteins and enzymes necessary for muscular contraction and other bodily functions maintain their structure and function.