Why is lactate bad for endurance exercise?
Lactate is not bad because it serves very useful purposes but it is always produced and must be cleared from our blood (lactate is measured in mmol). This is not the fault of lactate itself, it is the acid (hence the term lactic acid) that comes along with it that provides a threat to our blood’s balance. Our blood’s acid/base balance is highly regulated so when and acidic product, such as lactic acid, starts to build up the body will employ defense mechanisms. First the body will buffer (neutralize) the acidity with CO2 which causes us to breathe out more CO2. But once lactate build-up is beyond our buffering system, the muscles will start shutting down as a final defense against blood acidity. Lactate is not bad for endurance exercise as long as we can control its concentration in our blood. Does lactate cause muscle soreness? Contrary to popular belief lactate does not cause muscle soreness. Lactate is cleared from the blood within a few hours but muscle soreness can last for days.
