Non-oxidative Energy Supply Correlates with Lactate Transport and Removal in Trained Rowers

This study aimed to test if the non-oxidative energy supply (estimated by the accumulated oxygen deficit) is associated with an index of muscle lactate accumulation during exercise, muscle monocarboxylate transporter content and the lactate removal ability during recovery in well-trained rowers. Seventeen rowers completed a 3-min all-out exercise on rowing ergometer to estimate the accumulated oxygen deficit. Blood lactate samples were collected during the subsequent passive recovery to assess individual blood lactate curves, which were fitted to the bi-exponential time function: La(t)= [La](0)+A₁·(1-e^-γ ₁ ^t)+A₂·(1-e^-γ ₂ ^t), where the velocity constants γ₁ and γ₂ (min^-1) denote the lactate exchange and removal abilities during recovery, respectively. The accumulated oxygen deficit was correlated with the net amount of lactate released from the previously active muscles (r =0.58, P<0.05), the monocarboxylate transporters MCT1 and MCT4 (r=0.63, P<0.05) and γ₂ (r=0.55, P<0.05). γ₂ and the lactate release rate at exercise completion were negatively correlated with citrate synthase activity. These findings suggest that the capacity to supply non-oxidative energy during supramaximal rowing exercise is associated with muscle lactate accumulation and transport, as well as lactate removal ability.