Diet-induced obesity accelerates blood lactate accumulation of rats in response to incremental exercise to maximum

Blood lactate increases during incremental exercise at high-intensity workloads, and limited exercise capacity is a characteristic of obese animals. This study examined whether blood lactate changes in response to incremental exercise is disrupted in obese animals. Muscular and hepatic proteins that are critical in lactate metabolism were also investigated. Rats were randomized to either standard chow (control) or high-fat diet (HFD) groups. All animals underwent an incremental treadmill test after 14 wk of diet intervention. Blood lactate levels were measured before and after the treadmill test. Activities of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis were examined in muscle tissues. Proteins in the liver and skeletal muscles that participate in the turnover of blood lactate were determined by Western blot. Running time in the incremental treadmill test decreased in the HFD group, and blood lactate accumulated faster in these animals than in the control group. Animals with HFD had a decreased level of hepatic monocarboxylate transporter 2, the protein responsible for blood lactate uptake in the liver. Skeletal muscles of animals with HFD showed greater glycolytic activity and decreased content of lactate dehydrogenase B, which converts lactate to pyruvate. We conclude that blood lactate accumulated faster during incremental exercise in obese animals and was associated with their decreased exercise performance. Changes in the metabolic pattern of muscles and changes of liver and muscle proteins associated with lactate utilization likely contribute to the abnormal response of blood lactate to incremental exercise in obese animals.