Lactic Acid - What's the Deal?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
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I wanted to see what new information you guys (and girls) had on Lactic Acid, as it is being researched more and some facts seem to be emerging from the old information. I would appreciate any insights you all have, the more physiology the better. Here are some questions, I think I know the answer to a few of them but wanted to see what you all had to say about them.

Is Lactic Acid what makes your muscles burn? If not, what does?

Is Lactic Acid what makes your muscles sore? If not, what does?

Does a build up of too much lactic acid lead to muscular failure?

Is lactic acid a waste product or fuel or both?

Is there an important difference between lactic acid and lactate?

Is the Fast Glycolysis energy system the only system that produces/uses lactic acid?

Finally, does the new stuff we are learning about lactic acid have any practical effect on the way we should train to improve performance?

Thanks for your thoughts

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Ill touch a few

[quote]nptitim wrote:
I wanted to see what new information you guys (and girls) had on Lactic Acid, as it is being researched more and some facts seem to be emerging from the old information. I would appreciate any insights you all have, the more physiology the better. Here are some questions, I think I know the answer to a few of them but wanted to see what you all had to say about them.

Is Lactic Acid what makes your muscles burn? If not, what does?[/quote]
Yes build up Of LA does burn.

[quote]
Is Lactic Acid what makes your muscles sore? If not, what does?[/quote]
Nope LA is pretty much out/dissapated But thats still up in the air a bit. Mainly its tissue damage that causes DOM. MAYBE LOL This is still big time not totally understood.

[quote]
Does a build up of too much lactic acid lead to muscular failure?[/quote]
Yes and more so if you havent trained for it, have a LOW LA threshold.
So and NO if you are accustomed to it. Could be just fatigue loss of fuel supplies ATP etc.

[quote]
Is lactic acid a waste product or fuel or both?[/quote]
need one of the more smarter folks on this subject but from my limited rememberance Both but largely a waste byproduct.

[quote]
Is there an important difference between lactic acid and lactate?[/quote]

LOL yes females lactate.

Thanks for your thoughts[/quote]

Not much there but a little help anyway,
Phill

3

There is some new knowledge on this:
http://ajpregu.physiology.org/cgi/content/short/287/3/R502

http://blogs.salon.com/0002729/2004/03/22.html

In short, Lactic Acid doesn’t seem to be a waste product at all. It’s more like a stepping stone in the generation of power in the cells.

This means it’s not DIRECTLY linked to acidosis in the muscle.

But it might be an indirect link to acidosis. So the jury is still out on how this will influence the way we train.

Acidosis isn’t much of an issue in weighttraining anyway. It’s important in cardio and endurance training though.

4

[quote]nptitim wrote:
I wanted to see what new information you guys (and girls) had on Lactic Acid, as it is being researched more and some facts seem to be emerging from the old information. I would appreciate any insights you all have, the more physiology the better. Here are some questions, I think I know the answer to a few of them but wanted to see what you all had to say about them.

Is Lactic Acid what makes your muscles burn? If not, what does?[/quote] No, lactate its not responsible for this. Hydrogen ions are formed on a one on one basis with lactate ions. Hydrogen ions increase acidity - pain.

[quote]

Does a build up of too much lactic acid lead to muscular failure?[/quote] No this is hydrogen ions that case this. It shuts down enzyme activity and glucose breakdown.

[quote]

Is lactic acid a waste product or fuel or both?[/quote] First fuel after intense exercise. The remainder is then converted back to glucose.

[quote]
Is there an important difference between lactic acid and lactate?[/quote] Ive taken the two to mean the same thing but lactate is the correct term, not lactic acid.

[quote]

Is the Fast Glycolysis energy system the only system that produces/uses lactic acid?[/quote] Its being utilised all the time, but in varying amounts.

[quote]

Finally, does the new stuff we are learning about lactic acid have any practical effect on the way we should train to improve performance?

Thanks for your thoughts[/quote]

Nahh. Not really. Its not new.

5

Guys, on fullbody splits with different reps i have one problem : i’m very often sore from lactic acid (not much but i feel it somehow). I know it’s not that bad but you know any tricky ideas to deal with this issue? Cardio seems to help, but i don’t know if it won’t be too much with all the other stuff. Stretching maybe?

6

[quote]nptitim wrote:
I wanted to see what new information you guys (and girls) had on Lactic Acid, as it is being researched more and some facts seem to be emerging from the old information. I would appreciate any insights you all have, the more physiology the better. Here are some questions, I think I know the answer to a few of them but wanted to see what you all had to say about them.

Is Lactic Acid what makes your muscles burn? If not, what does?

I don’t know what you mean by “burn”.

Is Lactic Acid what makes your muscles sore? If not, what does?

Nope, torn muscle fibers.

Does a build up of too much lactic acid lead to muscular failure?

The main reason would be the golgi tendon organs, they signal your muscles to stop contracting when the load is “thought” to be too heavy or causes too much stress for the muscle, saving you from an injury.

Is lactic acid a waste product or fuel or both?

It is more of a byproduct of the kreb cycle, it gets back into the kreb cycle after it passes through your liver.

Is there an important difference between lactic acid and lactate?

No

Is the Fast Glycolysis energy system the only system that produces/uses lactic acid?

Glycolysis does cause lactic acid.

Finally, does the new stuff we are learning about lactic acid have any practical effect on the way we should train to improve performance?

From what I know, just find ways to increase blood circulation. The faster the blood moves, the faster the lactic acid gets turned into ATP. Something as simple as a cardio could do this.

Thanks for your thoughts[/quote]