Jade Duncanson

2014

December 28,

Lactic Acid
Lactic Acid is most commonly known as a colourless chemical
compound that exists of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. Lactic Acid is the
reason we experience muscle soreness. The making of lactic Acid can be
confusing because of the complex biochemistry that runners and other
athletes dont take time to understand or to do research on because it is just
a contributing factor that all athletes experience. Our bodies create a waste
product which is converted into glycogen that turns into energy which then
produces lactic Acid, (Funk, 2014) The breakdown of lactic Acid can take
about an hour and it leads to fatigue and muscle cramps. Several people
believe that the burn you feel during a workout is good because that means
youre working hard and your burning more calories. Yes, if you feel the
burn you are working out at a high intensity but it isnt an indication that
youre burning more calories just because you have lactic acid build up. Your
body can teach itself to use lactic acid as energy and can do several things
to prevent lactic acid build up, (Fee, 2005). The production of lactic acid
during intense exercise or workouts is a conditioning component. Lactic Acid
build up can help your body increase muscle strength and endurance for a
longer time. It can prevent you from overdoing short term activities, but it is
a myth that it makes you burn fat faster (Ireland, 2014)

There is many steps and chemicals that contribute to the creation and
break down of Lactic Acid in the body. The chemical aspect of Lactic Acid in
the body is , for example, during power exercises like sprinting, when the use
of energy is high, glucose is broken down and oxidized, and lactate is
produced faster than our muscle tissue can remove it. This causes the rate at
which lactate is being built to rise. The making of lactate is important
because it reproduces important coenzymes used up in the oxidation of
glucose. Reproducing these coenzymes is important for energy metabolism
so that you have enough energy to continue your workout (Fee, 2005). Pain
and fatigue that comes with lactic acid build up is caused by increased blood
lactate, which happens when you do high intensity anaerobic exercise. These
high intensity exercises causes a lower pH in your blood. The concentration
of blood lactate is around 12 millimoles per liter at rest, but can rise to over
20 mmol/L during intense exercise.

Lactic Acid is an organic chemical compound that is made up of

Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen that can be found naturally in several
different foods. Lactic Acid is found in foods and drinks such as milk, wine,
and tomato juice. It is also used in preparing cheese, sauerkraut, soft drinks
and is what causes milk to sour. Lactic acid, which is also known as milk acid
is a chemical compound that assists in many biochemical processes.(Fox,
2011) Lactic Acid is a colourless compound made up of the formula,
CH3CHOHCOOH. Lactic Acid is a carboxylic acid that has a hydroxyl group
that is adjacent to the carboxyl group which makes an alpha hydroxyl acid
(AHA). When Lactic Acid is in a solution it can lose an electron from its acidity
group which causes it to create a lactate ion. Lactic acid removes one or
more protons ten times easier than acetic acid because its pKa is 1 unit
smaller. When the intermolecular hydrogen bridge between the a-hydroxyl
and the carboxylate group make the latter less able to attract strongly to its
proton, it results in higher acidity. Lactic acid can be mixed with either water
or ethanol and it is also hygroscopic, which means lactic acid is soluble in
water but insoluble in other organic solvents. Lactic Acid exists in two active
forms, dextro- and levo- or d-lactic acid and l-lactic acid. Only the levo form
takes part in animal metabolism. Normal Lactic acid, or racemic lactic acid, is
an inactive mixture that equal parts of both the d- and l-forms make up
(Funk, 2014).

The biology aspect of Lactic Acid in the human body is quite

fascinating. There is several different steps and processes that contribute to
the production and the breakdown of Lactic Acid in our bodies. Lactic Acid
buildup in muscles causes the soreness you experience after or during a
workout. Lactic acid is produced by red blood cells and muscle cells. It is a
waste product of the conversion of glycogen into energy. When energy is
required for a workout it is supplied from the breakdown of ATP which is
Adenosine Triphosphate. The body already has 85 grams of ATP which the
body would use up very quickly if our body didnt resynthesizing it. The three
systems that resynthesize ATP and that produce energy are ATP-PC, lactic
acid and aerobic. The lactic acid system is capable of releasing energy to
resynthesise ATP without using oxygen and this is called anaerobic
glycolysis. Glycolysis (breakdown of carbohydrates) results in the formation
of pyruvic acid and hydrogen ions (H+).The pyruvic acid molecules undergo
oxidation in the mitochondrion and the Krebs cycle begins.

The Krebs cycle also known as Citric Acid Cycle or Tricarboxyl Acid
cycle is a process which oxidises the pyruvate that is formed when the
glycolytic breakdown of glucose into Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Water (H2O).
This cycle was discovered by Sir Has Krebs who was a British biochemist. The
Krebs cycle takes place in the mitochondria but only in Eukaryotes. There is
several different steps of the Krebs cycle which are Condensation,
Isomerisation, Dehydrogenation, Decarboxylation, Oxidative
Decarboxylation, and Substrate level ATP/GTP synthesis, Dehydrogenation of
Succinate, Hydration, and Dehydrogenation of Malate. The muscle cells
become acidic when there is a buildup of H+. A buildup of H+ conflicts with
the operation of carrier molecules, called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
(NAD+), which remove the H+. The NAD+ is reduced to the NADH that
transfer the H+ at the electron transport gate (ETC) in the mitochondria to
be combined with oxygen to form water (H2O). To prevent the rise in acidity
pyruvic acid accepts H+ forming lactic acid that then dissociates into lactate
and H+. Some of the lactate diffuses into the blood stream and takes some
H+ with it as a way of reducing the H+ concentration in the muscle cell. The
normal pH of the muscle cell is 7.1 but if the buildup of H+ continues and pH
is reduced to around 6.5 then muscle contraction may be impaired and the
low pH will stimulate the free nerve endings in the muscle resulting in the
perception of pain (the burn). This point is often measured as the lactic
threshold or anaerobic threshold (AT) or onset of blood lactate accumulation
(OBLA) (Quinn).

Lactic Acid has two optical isomers which are L-(+)-lactic acid or (S)lactic acid and also its opposite which is D-()-lactic acid or (R)-lactic acid. In
animals, pyruvate and the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) produce Llactate from a process of fermentation during metabolism and exercise. The
concentration does not increase until the rate at which the lactate is made
exceeds the rate of lactate removal. The amount of lactate removal is
monitored by a many different aspects such as, Monocarboxylate
transporters, concentration and isoform of LDH, and oxidative capacity of
tissues. Intense exertion can cause the concentration of blood lactate to rise
over 20 mmol/L (Fox, 2011).

The muscle that is involved in the making of lactic acid are the skeletal
muscles. Skeletal muscles consist of more than 600 muscles. These muscles
are made of two groups: fast-twitch muscles and slow-twitch fibers. Slowtwitch fibers use oxygen to contract slowly over a periods of time while Fasttwitch fibers use carbohydrates to contract faster. After you eat your body

turns carbohydrates into glucose which is used for energy. Glucose that is not
yet ready to be used is then broken down into glycogen which then stored in
your liver and muscles. Liver and Muscles have a limited storage amount so
the leftover blood glucose will be stored in adipose tissue which is fat tissue.
During exercise the body uses glucose in the blood stream for energy. When
the energy runs out it will then go for its glycogen stores which creates lactic
acid. This results in sore and stiff muscles. It takes 24-48 hours for the lactic
acid to be re-absorbed and the pain to go away.The body breaks down
glucose into a substance called pyruvate, which provides your body with
energy during exercise. When there is a lot of oxygen in the body, the
pyruvate breaks down for additional energy. However, when there is less
oxygen, such as during an intense exercise such as weight lifting or sprints,
your body turns pyruvate into lactate, or lactic acid. Lactate helps your body
to break down glucose, which maintains your energy levels and helps your
muscles to contract properly during exercise. When your muscles begin to
run out of oxygen and carbohydrates for fuel, they begin to produce higher
levels of lactic acid. This extra lactic acid is used as a fuel substitute. Fasttwitch muscles produce more lactic acid because the amount of lactic acid
produced relies on the amount of carbohydrates broken down for fuel. This is
why sprinters produce more lactic acid than Long- Distance Runners.
Sprinters use fast-twitch fibers because even though sprinters are running
for a shorter distance the intensity is higher which creates a larger amount of
lactic acid. The extremely fast speed of the sprinters allow less time for
Lactic Acid to be removed through circulation (Dale, 2013).

At intensities below 50% of one's maximum oxygen consumption,

lactic acid buildup is reduced. All activities use immediate energy system,
but some activities require more energy. Some activities use the immediate
energy system because they need a quick burst of energy. Activities such as
swinging a golf club, throwing a baseball, serving a tennis ball, lifting a
weight, need that burst of energy. The small supply of ATP in your muscle
cells is fully used in a couple seconds of intense exercise. Your body shifts to
glucose circulating in your blood and then stores the glycogen in the muscles
as its primary sources of energy. ATP is broken down by these short-term
energy system. Oxygen isnt used and anaerobic glycolysis happens when
this process needs to happen faster. Activities such as playing hockey (where
players skate intensively for short shifts and then rest on the bench),
downhill skiing and strength training with lighter weights and more
repetitions use short-term energy that last for 10 seconds to two minutes.
When the immediate and short-term energy sources combined they create
fuel to last through an exercise for only a few minutes, but muscular

activities that use more energy need the energy that is made by the aerobic
system. The aerobic system uses oxygen to break down fats and nutritions
(Kolata, 2006).

Lactate threshold (LT) (or lactate inflection point (LIP) or anaerobic

threshold (AT) is the point when lactic acid starts to build up in the blood
stream. Lactate is a product of anaerobic metabolism and is produced during
all exercises. It is important in any sport that you find the balance between
the rate at which lactate is made and the rate that lactate is absorption.
When you exercise at or below the lactic threshold any lactate made by the
muscles is removed by the body without it building up. When youre
exercising at a higher intensity the lactate level in the blood reaches the
anaerobic threshold and the lactic acid begins to build up. Lactic Acid is
absorbed faster than the muscle cells are making it. During light and low
intensity exercise, lactic acid in the blood remains low. The removal of lactate
fails when the intensity of the workout increases and the rate of lactate being
made is increased. When the removal of lactate cant keep up with the rate
at which lactate is made this is known as Lactate Threshold. A large amount
of blood lactate and hydrogen ion concentrations combine to cause the failed
muscle contraction, can cause you to feel fatigued. Lactate threshold
represents the highest exercising intensity an athlete can maintain for a
period of time. Acid in the muscle releases hydrogen ions, as the ions are
traveling out of the muscle into the blood. When lactate is produced faster
than it can be removed in the muscle bicarbonate stores begin to be used.
Factors that affect the rate of Lactate build up are the exercise intensity. The
higher the intensity of the workout the more lactate is produced in your
active muscles. When you are working hard and you are sweating and youre
out of breathe that is when lactic acid builds up the most (Shaw, 2013).

Your diet also contributes to the rate of lactic acid build up. If you
dont eat enough of the right foods to prevent lactic acid such as bananas,
water and magnesium filled products you can have increased lactic acid
build up. If your body doesnt store glycogen you will experience lactic acid
build up and your training will most likely be cut short. Proper training also
contributes to lactic acid production. Proper training can cause the rate of
lactate accumulation to slow down. Higher mitochondrial density can also
contribute to greater buildup of lactic acid. Fatty acid oxidation prevents
lactate production during exercise intensities. Your body can burn fat over
glycogen and this can help with preserving your glycogen as a fuel source for
continued exercise. Greater capillary density can improve both the oxygen

delivery to your muscles and the lactate removal (Fox,2011). The

composition of muscle fibers such as slow twitch and fast twitch muscle
fibers. Slow twitch muscle fibers produce much less lactic acid because the
intensity of the exercise is low. Fast twitch muscle fibers produce more lactic
acid because the intensity is high. Although genetics do play a part, proper
training can influence the amount of slow vs. fast twitch muscle fibers (Dale,
2013). Another factor in lactic acid build up is the distribution of intensity.
Large muscle mass working at a normal intensity will create less lactic acid
than a small muscle mass working at high intensity. The lactate threshold is
important for deciding exercise intensity for training and racing in endurance
sports. Lactate threshold is different for everyone and can be increased with
training. Several athletes want to find their personal lactate thresholds so
they often take blood tests (Fee, 2005).

Lactate Threshold can be very useful measure for the determination of

training zones and how much you can increase your intensity. Interval
training is important for increasing the lactate threshold because it pushes
the limit and then recover while it still is below the threshold. Interval
training should be similar to the movement of the sport youre doing and you
can do this by doing several exercises and drills. Another way of finding your
Lactate threshold is on a treadmill or a stationary bicycle. You start by doing
a warm-up, and then your exercise intensity should be around 50-60 percent.
Then do around six stages each lasting about 2-6 minutes. These stages give
a good amount of time to achieve a steady heart rate and the making of
lactic acid. Blood samples taken towards the end of each stage determine
the concentration of blood lactate. This process is repeated until an obvious
spike in lactate concentration occurs. At each stage the Heart rate, power
output and speed are recorded. Lactate concentration is measured in
millimoles (mM) of lactate per liter of blood (mmol/L). People that dont
frequently exercise can reach lactate threshold at about 60 percent of their
VO2MAX, which is the amount of oxygen intake. Trained athletes reach
lactate threshold at 65-80 percent VO2MAX. High performance endurance
athletes have a very high lactate threshold in response to their VO2MAX.
They are able to ride at 85-95 percent VO2MAX, and it is this ability that
allows them to make a living riding bikes, running or both. Your percent can
change. Through proper training and commitment, an athlete can increase
the percentage of VO2max at which their lactate threshold occurs. Although
it takes years of hard work and training, a person can become an athlete who
is able to perform at their maximum ability for a longer period of time.
(Fox,2011)

When lactic acid is not being produced anymore and your body starts
to break it down, the excess lactate is not useful to your muscle cells so your
liver turned back into glucose after your workout to be used as energy. When
lactic acid is in your bloodstream it accumulates in your muscle cells. Lactate
circulates in the blood stream and the liver soaks the lactate up. When you
are resting your liver oxidizes the lactic acid to pyruvate through a reaction
that is catalyzed by an enzyme called lactate dehydrogenase. The enzyme
that catalyzes the lactate dehydrogenase uses electrons to remove lactate to
reduce NAD to NADH in a molecule. (John, 2014) The pyruvate then enters a
small capsule-shaped structure called the mitochondria. In the mitochondria,
an enzyme called pyruvate dehydrogenase complex converts pyruvate into
acetyl-CoA and CO2. The acetyl-CoA goes into a biochemical pathway called
the citric acid cycle. Your liver cells use the energy it takes away by oxidizing
these carbons to store energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate. The
liver also needs to turn the lactic acid into glucose, it does so by using a
process called gluconeogenesis. When lactic acid builds up in your liver cells
after exercise, the gluconeogenesis function is used to remove it. It begins in
the mitochondria, an enzyme called pyruvate carboxylase adds a molecule of
bicarbonate to pyruvate and converts it to oxaloacetate. This reaction uses
ATP as energy. Next, mitochondrial PEP carboxykinase which is also an
enzyme, converts oxaloacetate into phosphoenolpyruvate or PEP and free
carbon dioxide. This step also requires energy in the form of a molecule of
GTP. The PEP produced by PEP carboxykinase is transferred to the
mitochondria and converts back to glucose through nine enzyme-catalyzed
reactions inside the cell. (Fox, 2011)

Lactic Acid is a huge factor that comes with running. Lactic Acid is a
burning sensation or in other words a Charlie Horse that you feel when your
muscles seize up. As a Sprinter myself, I constantly get lactic acid build up in
my upper thighs, in my calves and especially above my knee caps. Your body
naturally removes Lactic Acid in about an hour but there are many different
methods in preventing the buildup of Lactic Acid during or after your
workout. By completing a full body warm-up routine before your workout it
can help prepare your body for exercise and also reduce lactic acid buildup.
In your warm-up include dynamic stretches to fully prepare your body. Also,
exercise regularly or increase your number of workouts per week. Include
both aerobic exercises and strength training. Try 20-30 minutes of aerobics
exercises such as walking, jogging, rowing, dance and weight lifting. When
you exercise more frequently your body will naturally be more tolerant to
lactic acid and you will also experience less lactic acid. Between sets during
your workout remember to take rests. During those rests, it will give your

body a chance to transport oxygen to those muscles while removing lactic

acid. Try decreasing the intensity of the workout while increasing the length
of the exercise. Lactic acid is released during short, high-intensity workouts
so exercise with less resistance for a longer time can help reduce lactic acid
buildup. If you are increasing the intensity level, always start your workout
slowly and then gradually build up the intensity level. Cool-down after
exercises, and walking after a marathon can speed up the removal of lactic
acid from your muscles. A cool- down is very important after a workout
because it keeps your blood-circulation going until it returns back to normal.
In your cool-down include five to ten minutes of light aerobic exercise and
stretches (Fee,2005) I would often experience the most lactic acid when I did
constant sprinting with very little rest or water breaks. I would get the most
lactic acid build up when I would do a short warm up or go straight into
running longer distances without doing short sprints first. I also would
experience Lactic Acid in my muscles when I didnt cool down after hard
workouts, which would result in my muscles being sore for the next couple
days after. Sometimes I would even experience lactic acid when I was just
doing a light workout in cold weather. I would do just a standard warm up not
accounting for the weather circumstances. When I began to do longer warm
ups when it was cold out, I began to experience less lactic acid build up and
any muscle soreness all together. Lactic acid cause a very uncomfortable
pain because it doesnt go away easily. It is extremely painful to work the
lactic acid out of your legs or any part of your body. Rolling your legs with a
foam roller, massage it or walk it out causes pain to be working through the
lactic acid. There is many over the counter supplements that fight lactic acid
and help with muscle recovery but the real solution to muscle recovery is
proper nutrition. Eating certain foods can help reduce the buildup of lactic
acid. Taking a sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) can help buffer the acidity
of the blood during the workout. You can mix 0.3 g of sodium bicarbonate
with 12 oz. of water to make a homemade remedy that you can drink
throughout your workout. The sodium bicarbonate mixed with water can help
extend muscular endurance by reducing the lactic acid build up in your
muscles. You can also consume a glutamine supplement, which is an amino
acid that helps decrease muscle breakdown and recovery time during the
workout. (Schuna, 2014)The most common treatment to help reduce lactic
acid build up is water and bananas. Water can help get rid of lactic acid and
also reduce the burning pain that is present. Lack of water during physical
activity can result in muscle cramping whether you exercise daily or just
sometimes, its crucial to your performance and endurance to maintain
hydrated. Drink water frequently every day and especially during a workout.
During a workout drink about 8 to 12 oz. of water per hour. Being fully
hydrated helps your body remove the lactic acid from the muscles during

and after the workout. Bananas are a vital source of carbohydrates and
potassium. The carbohydrates in bananas help provide energy during a
workout while potassium is a mineral that is also an electrolyte that helps
balance the amount of water in the body. Potassium is often; during
strenuous activity, which can lead to loss of water and an increasing buildup
of lactic acid. The consumption of potassium is essential to allow you to
increase your endurance during exercise without feeling that burning pain
caused by lactic acid. Magnesium- Rich Foods are another way to help
reduce lactic acid build up. Magnesium-rich foods such as dark green leafy
vegetables, whole grains and legumes helps supply your body with useable
energy. Magnesium- rich foods helps produce energy but it also helps with
the usage of oxygen. Magnesium supplements can also help the breakdown
of lactic acid. A deficiency of lactic acid can cause calcium to remain in the
cells causing the inability to cross the semi-permeable membrane to
facilitate with the muscle contraction which causes lactic acid (Banar, 2011).
Going for a light jog or cycle can help alleviate lactic acid. Getting a massage
immediately after an intense workout can push the lactic acid out of your
muscles and can help reduce the uncomfortable burning feel. Following the
massage, soaking in the tub with one cup of baking soda or Epsom salt can
help as well. The baking soda is alkaline and it helps neutralize lactic acid in
the muscle. I find that the most effective remedy for me is to go for a light
jog, despite the pain, or to walk on my heels with my toes dorseflexed
(Chewning, 2014). I will also try lying on my back and putting my legs up
against the wall, even though it is proven to not be of much help in getting
rid of the lactic acid, sometimes it works for me. If all of these methods fail, I
will immediately roll it out or get someone to massage my legs for me. To
ensure that I wont be sore the next day I do a hot cold shower. A hot cold
shower is when you run the cold water for about 5 minutes and then switch
to hot water for 5 minutes. Running the hot water on your legs helps the
circulation in your legs and it also loosens your muscles while the cold water
is supposed to relieve pain and also reduce swelling (Oamen, 2012). When I
get lactic acid build up in my legs the area of my body will normally swell up
or become inflamed for a short period of time. This is common but its a good
idea to get rid of the swelling right away before it gets too tight and becomes
very hard to loosen. I just recently have started eating protein bars and
drinking protein shakes after my workout. This is a very good idea because
protein helps with muscle recovery by using amino acids to help repair any
fibers that were beginning to break down or damage. Taking any form of
protein after your workout can decrease the build-up of Lactic Acid and
muscle soreness (Ng,2013). The number one danger of lactic acid is that it
can often be mistaken as an actual injury but it is only a temporary pain. I
have often mistaken lactic acid as an injury because they both have similar

effects, searing pain which makes you unable to walk easily. If you are
unsure if it is an injury or just Lactic Acid, ask a coach or go see a doctor just
to be safe.

Every athlete or recreational participant has experienced lactic acid

build up, whether you know it or not. It is common after high-intensity or
strenuous workouts but there is several different methods to help treat and
prevent it. Once you figure out what your personal remedy is to preventing
lactic acid buildup it can positively improve your athletic performance. Lactic
Acid is part of any exercise and although it hurts it is a natural thing
everyone experiences from time to time. Throughout your workout ensure
you are drinking the suggested amount of water, eating bananas or some
form of protein before and after and include magnesium-rich food in to your
diet. In your full body warm-up try to include foam rolling. It really helps
loosen your muscles. If you follow these simple rules you should notice a
significant decrease in Lactic Acid buildup in your body.