Oxidation of lactate in rats after short-term strenuous exercise

Oxidation of lactate and glucose was investigated in rats after short-term strenuous running to exhaustion at a speed of 80-110 m.min-1, lasting about 100 sec. Immediately after the exercise, 4 microCi of [U-14C]lactate (LA and AR) or 9.4 microCi of [U-14C]glucose (GL) was injected into the aorta through an indwelling catheter. In AR, the rats ran at a speed of 25 m.min-1 for 20 min after injection of [U-14C]lactate. Expired gas was collected by a bottomless metabolism chamber while the rats were on the treadmill for 120 min. Blood lactate concentration tended to decrease faster in AR than in LA. Peak evolution of 14CO2 expiration occurred at 12.5 min recovery in LA, 7.5 min of recovery in AR, and 35 min of recovery in GL. Cumulative percent recovery of 14C as 14CO2 was 48.5% +/- 2.8% in LA, 74.0% +/- 2.9% in AR, and 18.6% +/- 1.6% (mean +/- SE) in GL. Significant differences were found in these rates between groups (P less than 0.01). It was suggested that a great deal of lactate was oxidized directly, not after conversion to glucose in rats after short-term strenuous exercise to exhaustion and mild exercise following strenuous exercise (active recovery) enhanced lactate oxidation.