How to reduce lactic acid

When lactic acid appears, you experience a burning sensation as a byproduct of intense exercise.

However, your muscles are always naturally producing lactate; when you are training, doing a greater number of repetitions, or pushing 100 kcal on the bike, your body produces lactate faster than it can be removed, reaching the lactate threshold or upper limit of your capacity to train.

Too much lactate in the blood produces a burning sensation, followed by a loss of power. Therefore, we will discuss the process by which lactic acid is produced and how to delay muscle fatigue by counteracting and preventing its buildup.

Why does it build up in the muscles?

As your heart rate begins to increase, your breathing transports more oxygen to your muscles.

Your body generates energy while you perform aerobic exercise, or exercise “with oxygen”.

However, some forms of exercise, such as repeatedly lifting heavy objects from the floor, require more energy production, faster than your body can adequately supply oxygen.

As this happens, your body begins to produce energy anaerobically «without oxygen», generating energy from glucose (from the carbohydrates you consume) through a process called glycolysis.

Glucose is broken down or metabolized into a substance called pyruvate through a series of biological reactions.

If your body has a sufficient amount of oxygen, pyruvate is transported into an aerobic pathway to generate more energy. However, if your oxygen supply is limited, pyruvate is converted into lactate, which produces more energy through the breakdown of glucose.

High lactate levels increase muscle acidity and alter other metabolites.

The same metabolic pathway that facilitates the breakdown of glucose into energy does not function properly in this acidic environment.

Your body produces lactate as a natural defense mechanism to prevent permanent damage caused by extreme exertion by slowing down key biological systems that maintain muscle contraction.

• Too much lactate in the bloodstream creates a burning sensation in the muscle, resulting in a loss of power as you reach what is known as the lactic acid threshold.
• As your body slows down, oxygen becomes more available, while lactate is converted back into pyruvate, allowing continued aerobic metabolism and energy production so your body can properly recover from exercise.

Does lactic acid cause muscle soreness?

Lactic acid is not responsible for the increase in perceived muscle soreness after exercise.

The production of lactate and other metabolites during strenuous exercise results in a burning sensation in the muscles; however, it is still unclear which metabolites cause this.

Research has shown little association between delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and lactic acid levels.

The exact cause of DOMS is still unknown, although most research shows that it results from damage to muscle cells and the tissues surrounding them.

The response to strenuous exercise and overexertion results in an inflammatory response that causes pain and muscle damage depending on the severity of the damage.

Anti-inflammatory agents such as turmeric can be used to help reduce swelling and inflammation.

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How can you prevent its accumulation in the muscles?

For some experts, whoever can store lactic acid for longer will outperform their competitors.

The point is that high-intensity endurance training requires prolonged periods of exercise, resulting in lactate accumulation, muscle fatigue, and loss of power.

CrossFit, for example, involves a series of constantly varied movements at high volumes, often involving several consecutive exercises and Olympic lifts, with little or no rest interval, either for time or as many repetitions as possible.

Triathletes also deal with the accumulation of lactic acid; however, heart rate and VO2 max also play a vital role in performance during prolonged periods of exercise while cycling, swimming, or running.

The main difference is that endurance training and heavy weightlifting (bodybuilding) cause lactate to increase much more rapidly at high volumes.

After analyzing all this, the best way to effectively reduce its accumulation is to increase the lactic acid threshold and delay muscle fatigue through habits such as proper hydration, breathing techniques, and the use of specific supplements that can help achieve this goal.

Beta-alanine vs. lactic acid

Beta-alanine is a natural, non-essential amino acid, specifically classified as a beta-amino acid.

• It facilitates the synthesis of muscle carnosine in the body, which acts as a lactic acid buffer.
• Through this pathway, it delays the onset of muscle fatigue, loss of power, and the time to muscle failure.

When you exercise, your body relies on glucose for energy, resulting in the production of lactic acid , which increases muscle acidity.

It is created by the accumulation of hydrogen ions (H+), which causes the pH of the muscles to drop; therefore, when it increases, so does the acidity in the muscle tissue.

When acidity increases, your muscles lose the ability to contract, resulting in a loss of endurance and power.

Beta-alanine, specifically the patented ingredient CarnoSyn®, buffers hydrogen through an increase in carnosine content, helping your muscles contract for a longer period and delaying the onset of fatigue.

CoQ10 and lactic acid

CoQ10 is a fat-soluble, vitamin-like molecule that acts as a powerful antioxidant and facilitates the biological process of generating adenosine triphosphate [ATP], or energy metabolism.

ATP drives every human cellular action your body performs.

Studies have shown that CoQ10 is one of the best vitamins because it has a direct effect on muscle ergogenesis.

CoQ10 works to increase cellular efficiency, allowing your body to generate more ATP, helping you produce more energy, reducing lactic acid, and improving your athletic performance.

CoQ10 supplementation increases maximum oxygen consumption, extending time to exhaustion and delaying muscle fatigue while maintaining more efficient oxygen metabolism.

Citrulline malate and lactic acid

When it comes to cumulative performance measures, citrulline malate checks all the boxes.

It is a combination of two ingredients: L-citrulline, a nonessential amino acid, and malic acid. Through this unique blend, performance and power have been shown to increase through several mechanisms.

Citrulline malate improves maximum power by creating more ATP and nitric oxide and stimulating muscle protein synthesis.

Studies show that, through these mechanisms, it may help prevent the accumulation of lactic acid. However, the available evidence concluding that it specifically acts to reduce blood lactate remains somewhat mixed.

Conclusions

Lactic acid is a natural byproduct of your training. Reducing it will result in a higher volume of repetitions, longer-lasting workouts, greater strength and hypertrophy, faster times, and improved maximum power.

To achieve this goal, you need sufficient hydration throughout the day, in addition to specific supplements such as coenzyme Q10, citrulline malate, or beta-alanine, as an adjunct to help you push beyond the limits of your training capacity.

Also remember that there are supplements you can take during your workout that will help you recover when you need it most.