What is lactic acid?
Lactic acid forms when glucose is metabolised during anaerobic exercise, for example during intense, short bursts of exercise such as running a 200m or 500m sprint.
When energy is required for the body, it is provided by the breakdown of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Lactic acid is one of the substances that helps to recycle ATP for energy.
During intense exercise the lactic acid produced at a faster rate than the muscle tissues can remove it.
Advertisement
^ top
Important lactic acid facts
- Lactic acid is a subtance that quickly builds up in the bloodstream after intense bursts of exercise
- Lactic acid is found in sour milk products such as: yoghurt, buttermilk, some cottage cheeses
^ top
Advertisement
Why lactic acid isimportant
Excessive lactic acid in the blood causes muscles to fatigue very quickly, which can take up to an hour to remove from the bloodstream.
There are, though, ways to accelerate the removal of lactic acid from the bloodstream - cooling down sufficiently after exercising is the best way of fastr-tracking lactic acid build up and this is best done by stretching or exercising slower, as this ensures a rapid and continuous supply of oxygen to the muscles.
^ top
^ top
references
- "Disposal of Lactate during and after Strenuous Exercise in Humans", Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 61(1), pp338-343, 1986
- Marieb EM, Hoehn K. Human Anatomy & Physiology. 7th edition, 2006. Benjamin Cummings Publishing
- Tortora GJ, Derrickson BH. Principles of Anatomy & Physiology. 11th edition, 2005. Wiley Publishing
More information
To learn more, go to the the following web sites:
NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
^ top
Latest Health & Nutrition News
\n";
for ($i = 0; $i < count($arr_xml['URL']); $i++) {
if( isset($arr_xml['PostID'][$i]) && $arr_xml['PostID'][$i] > 0 ) continue;
echo "
".$arr_xml['BeforeText'][$i]." ".$arr_xml['Text'][$i]." ".$arr_xml['AfterText'][$i]."\n";
}
echo "";
}
}
function tla_updateLocalXML($url, $file, $time_out)
{
if($handle = fopen($file, "a")){
fwrite($handle, "\n");
fclose($handle);
}
if($xml = file_get_contents_tla($url, $time_out)) {
$xml = substr($xml, strpos($xml,'(.*?)', '"');
$n = 0;
while (isset($out[$n]))
{
$retarr[$out[$n][1]][] = str_replace($search_ar, $replace_ar,html_entity_decode(strip_tags($out[$n][0])));
$n++;
}
return $retarr;
}
tla_ads();
?>
Advertisement
Tools
BMI Calculator
Body Fat Calculator
Target Heart Rate
Health Conditions A-Z
Health Glossary A-Z
Ask an expert
Ask a Fitness Question
Fitness - Q&A
Ask a Health Question
Health - Q&A
Ask a Heart Health Question
Heart Health - Q&A
Ask a Spiritual Awareness Question
Spiritual Awareness - Q&A
Ask a Relationships Question
Relationships - Q&A
Ask a Nutrition Question
Nutrition - Q&A
