EPOC

Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), commonly called the 'afterburn effect', is the elevated rate of oxygen uptake and metabolic activity that persists after exercise ends. First systematically studied by Brehm and Gutin (1986), EPOC reflects the energy cost of restoring homeostasis after physical exertion. During recovery, the body must replenish phosphate stores, clear lactate, restore oxygen debt to muscles, increase body temperature, and return cardiovascular and respiratory function to baseline. This lingering metabolic elevation results in continued calorie burning long after exercise stops, a phenomenon of significant interest in sports science and fitness.