Lactate – the Genius Molecule.
Understanding Lactate.
As athletes we have all heard the phrase, “My legs are burning from all the lactic acid”. Truth is that it is highly unlikely that your body has ever experienced a single lactic acid molecule in it. Repeat the lactic acid sentence often enough and it becomes a ‘truth’ in the minds of many and we miss just how important lactate is in the human body and to coaching science, it is a genius molecule.
Lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, which is the process that occurs in cells when they do not have enough oxygen to generate energy through aerobic metabolism. It’s produced when the body breaks down glucose (a type of sugar) in the absence of oxygen.
As you move through the five heart rate zones you gradually move the dial toward more anaerobic energy systems. Notice the term used here, ‘move the dial’. This is not a switch mechanism but rather a gradual decrease from aerobic energy toward more anaerobic work. This process results in the production of lactate, which is then released into the bloodstream. The more anaerobic you go, the more lactate you produce.
The Genius of Lactate.
Lactate can be converted back into energy-rich molecules, such as pyruvate and glucose. In other words, your muscles produce lactate as a result of anaerobic exercise. That lactate enters the blood stream and makes its way into the liver where the liver repurposes it as pyruvate and glucose. Pyruvate is a molecule that your body loves as an energy supplier. It is a genius system. Can you imagine if you could produce a machine that would capture your cars exhaust fumes and turn that back into petrol? You would be richer than Elon.
Lactate alters the pH levels in your blood. Lactate isn’t directly responsible, instead, with the production of lactate we also get H⁺ (Hydrogen ions) released. These increase acidity levels in your blood stream. Your body counteracts this with the release of bicarbonate ions that neutralize acidity and restore normal pH levels. Lactate therefore becomes an important blood marker for doctors if you are ill. As a side note, the body is really good at maintaining your pH levels within a small margin. That means that you don’t need to sign up for or buy any book espousing the “Alkaline Diet”. It’s all a bunch of nonsense.
Lactate also reduces inflammation in the body and plays a role in building your immune function. The science on the last two points is not too clear and more research is needed to work out their mechanisms.
Guess what’s happening as you read this. Your brain is working in order to process the information that’s in this fantastic blog. Take one guess as to a fuel type that your brain loves to use – yip, lactate. Your brain in fact uses approximately 20% of the energy you consume. That’s a lot of fuel for an organ that is less than 2% of your body weight. Your brain loves burning through lactate almost as much as Eskom loves burning through diesel.
Let’s look at your brain for a bit longer. I know, it’s awkward. The brain is housed in complete darkness and enjoys hiding out in a sensory deprived jelly. During intense exercise, lactate is used in the regulation of blood flow to your brain. Your brain will need lots of fuel and lots of oxygen during times of intense exercise and the presence of lactate will allow for increased oxygen and fuel to get to your all-important brain. More lactate, more blood flow to your brain.
Lactate and the Liver.
The liver is an important organ that plays a number of vital roles in the body, including the production of bile, the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, and the detoxification of harmful substances. If that was not enough for this profound organ it is also able to convert lactate into glucose through a process called gluconeogenesis.
This process involves the production of new glucose molecules from non-carbohydrate sources, such as amino acids, fats, and lactate. The liver can then release this glucose into the bloodstream, where it can be used by the body’s cells as an energy source. Science has proven that fat is the ultimate endurance fuel with estimates that a person with just a slight tummy on them could enjoy 100 hours of exercise without taking any fuel on board if they could learn to only burn fat.
The reality is a bit different. Before you go all keto on me, realize that the conversion and release of fat as energy is a slower one than burning through carbs. One of the rules proposed by Alex Hutcheson in his book, ‘Endure’, is to train low, race high. In other words, train on less carbs but race on a high carb concoction. I think that the previous sentiment is partly true but would caution on training low carb too much as you might rob your body of the ability to recover on time for your next training session and move into a condition known as RED-S. You don’t want to go there as the consequences can include fractured bones, torn tendons, liver and kidney problems etc. I have written about that here https://sbrsport.co.za/2019/10/05/reds-relative-energy-deficiency-in-sport/
Lactate and Mitochondria.
Ask any scientifically trained athlete what they want for their birthday present, and they should answer as follows – Many Mighty Mitochondria or if they are really showing off, M3.
Mitochondria are small, energy-producing structures that are found in the cells of the body. They are responsible for generating the majority of the energy that the body needs to function properly. They do this through a process called cellular respiration, which involves the breakdown of glucose and other nutrients to produce energy in the form of ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
Remember the Energizer Bunny Battery ad? Get two play bunnies. Put cheap batteries in the one and high-quality batteries in the other and set them off. The bunny with better batteries will go faster and further. This is one of the reasons why predicting running performance is so tricky when it comes to the midfield of a race. Watch how the slightly chubby athlete cruises past the muscle bound and tanned uber runner. The reason – the chubby runner has spent time developing many mighty mitochondria.
How to develop more mitochondria.
There are several ways that you can increase the number of mitochondria in your body. These include:
Engage in regular physical activity: Exercise is one of the most effective ways to increase the number of mitochondria in your body. When you exercise, your body’s energy demands increase, which stimulates the production of new mitochondria.
Eat a healthy diet: A healthy diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help to support the production of new mitochondria.
Get enough sleep: Adequate sleep is important for the production of new mitochondria. Sleep is the ultimate performance hack.
Avoid tobacco and alcohol: Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption have been linked to a decrease in the number of mitochondria in the body.
Consider taking supplements: Some supplements, such as coenzyme Q10 and alpha-lipoic acid, have been shown to support the production of new mitochondria. Do your own research on this.
Norwegian lactate endurance training.
We have watched the rise and rise and rise of Norwegian athletes over the last few years. Part of this rise has been due to lactate testing and using that to establish training zones. They are really focused on three levels of lactate. The first being a lower level where the athlete does his/her long distance training. The body is in an aerobic place and thus develops it’s ability to burn fat etc. The second measure looks at lactate levels that should be attained at threshold pace for ‘easier’ intervals and the last is a measurement that looks at effort that should take place during harder intervals.
The goal is twofold.
1. To create training stimuli where the body learns how to both produce and clear lactate at the same time.
2. To establish racing efforts where they will be reasonably sure that the athlete will be able to race at speed for the duration of the race.
I hope this deepish dive into lactate has been beneficial. Head across here to read more on lactate testing.
Regards,
Mike Roscoe.
Coach and Kinesiologist.
