In exercise physiology, what does the acronym EPOC stand for?

In exercise physiology, EPOC stands for excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.

EPOC describes the elevated rate of oxygen uptake that continues after strenuous exercise ends. The body is not simply “paying back” an oxygen debt; it is using extra oxygen while returning to its resting state and adapting to the workout.

During recovery, oxygen supports several processes, including rebuilding ATP and phosphocreatine stores, restoring oxygen reserves in blood and muscle, regulating hormones, repairing tissue and powering the increased demands of elevated body temperature, breathing and heart activity. The effect is commonly nicknamed the “afterburn” effect.

EPOC is often confused with oxygen deficit, which refers to the early part of exercise when oxygen uptake has not yet caught up with energy demand. Its size depends largely on exercise intensity, duration and mode. EPOC occurs after both aerobic and anaerobic exercise, but it is not a magic source of unlimited calorie burning; the extra expenditure is usually modest compared with the workout itself.