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.
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
Why lactic acid is important
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.
