Differences in lactate exchange and removal abilities between high-level African and Caucasian 400-m track runners

The present study aimed to investigate (1) whether high-level 400-m track runners of different ethnic origin displayed divergent post-run blood lactate concentrations (p400m[La]) and (2) if this discrepancy was based on differences in lactate exchange and removal abilities. Twenty male African (n = 12) and Caucasian (n = 8) runners, paired in terms of personal record, performed (1) an all-out 400-m run to measure p400m[La] at 3, 5 and 7 min into recovery and (2) a 1-min 25.2 km h(-1) running (not maximal but standardized) exercise followed by 90-min passive recovery to determine individual blood lactate recovery curves (IBLRC). IBLRCs were fitted to a bi-exponential time function: [Formula: see text] where γ 1 and γ 2 denote lactate exchange ability between the previously worked muscles and blood, and overall ability for lactate removal, respectively. The quantity of lactate accumulated at the end of the 1-min exercise (Q LaA) was also estimated. Our study showed that after the all-out 400-m run, p400m[La] was lower in African than in Caucasian runners at 3 and 5 min but not at 7 min into recovery. After the standardized exercise, γ 1 and γ 2 were lower (p < 0.01) and Q LaA was higher (p < 0.05) in African than in Caucasian runners. These data suggest that for similar performance levels, ethnicity involves differences in lactate accumulation, exchange and removal.