Ammonia and lactate: differential information on monitoring training load in sprint events

Two hypotheses were tested concerning training relevance of ammonia in capillary blood compared with lactate after extensive and intensive high-paced runs. 1. There is a load threshold at which ammonia concentration deviates statistically significantly from the pre-load level, while lactate indicates already anaerobic metabolic processes at extensive training loads. Increased ammonia concentration is understood as the activation of type IIb fibers. 2. The increase in ammonia is primarily a consequence of increasing training load intensity. The hypotheses were tested in a field experiment with male sprinters n = 13. The experimental plan followed a design of repeated measures in a 4 x 4 Latin-square. The subjects completed four high-pace runs (300 m) at 82.5%, 85%, 87.5%, and 90% of the maximum running intensity (identified in a contest). The results confirmed our first hypothesis. Significant increase in ammonia concentration was not found until after four runs at an intensity of 87.5% or after one 300-m run at maximum running speed. In contrast to this, a glycolytic reaction became evident in one run at 82.5% of the maximum intensity. Lactate concentration exceeded the anaerobic threshold at this point. Definite instructions for training practice cannot be made at the present state of research.