Since the discovery of lactate, the popular notion has been that it is responsible for muscle fatigue and tissue damage following an intense workout:

But here’s the thing…further experiments and a better understanding of the human body dictate that not only is this not true, but there are also benefits of lactic acid for performance and fat loss.

MYTH #1

“THE BURN” IS CAUSED BY LACTIC ACID

We’ve all heard the term “feel the burn” and until recently, it was thought that the burning sensation during a heavy lifting session was caused by lactic acid buildup.

What’s actually happening?

When we engage in strenuous activities such as strength training and other high intensity workouts, our body breaks down glycogen (sugar stored in our muscles) for energy. When this happens, different compounds release into the body, hydrogen ions being one of them. When oxygen availability is depleted in our muscles, our body can’t keep up with breaking down the hydrogen ions fast enough. The buildup of hydrogen ions makes the environment acidic, causing the “burn.”

It’s the build of hydrogen that creates lactic acid in the muscles.

MYTH #2

LACTIC ACID IS WASTE AND CAUSES MUSCLE FATIGUE

Lactic acid, specifically lactate, was thought to be a waste product of muscle activity. However, lactate produced in the muscle cells is recycled into glucose (sugar in the blood) and reuse by our bodies as a source of energy for our muscles. Lactate helps delay muscle fatigue rather than causes it, and it also helps increase muscle gain as well as fat loss.

When lactic acid is present, the body regulates the acidity in the blood stream by producing Growth Hormones (GH). GH is the most effective biological compound the body can produce to elicit fat loss or muscle gain.

MYTH #3

LACTIC ACID CAUSES MUSCLE SORENESS

It takes about 45 minutes for lactate levels return to normal…which means it cannot be responsible for the pain and discomfort you have a day or two after exercise. Since lactate clears your system quickly and the majority is recycled and turned into energy, what you feel one to two days after a workout is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS. DOMS is the result of exercise-induced muscle damage, which triggers an inflammatory response, resulting in swelling and soreness that peaks a day or two following a hard workout.

if your coach or trainer states that “lactic acid” is causing you to fatigue or produce sore muscles, you should be cautious, as they are uninformed and propagating a “myth.” For more information about the truth, click the button below and Success Studio will be able to further debunk the lactic acid myth.