The effects of prior exercise on the lactate and ventilatory thresholds

This study examined the effects of prior exercise on the lactate (Tlac) and ventilatory (Tvent) thresholds. Ten healthy male subjects volunteered to perform one-legged cycling. Muscle glycogen reduction was achieved by cycling at 75-85% of maximal heart rate for 60-75 min, and by a low carbohydrate diet. Pre- and post-exercise tests for measuring the thresholds employed a 3-min continuous protocol in 16 W increments. Muscle biopsies (n = 3) were taken from the vastus lateralis before the 'prior exercise' (PE) ride, the post-PE threshold test, and before testing the non-exercised (NE) leg. An i.v. catheter was used for serial blood lactate concentration determination during rest and the final 30 s of each progressive load. Ventilatory gas analyses were performed every 30 s. Biopsies showed that the PE and diet regimen reduced muscle glycogen in the PE leg (46.7%) and NE leg (36.4%). Venous blood lactate and respiratory exchange ratio (R) were reduced at Tlac and Tvent in both the PE and NE leg. The VO2 at a blood lactate concentration of 4 mmol l-1 was elevated in the PE leg at Tlac (2.89 versus 2.46 1 min-1), but not in the NE leg at Tlac. These results suggest that lactate concentration at Tlac and Tvent is reduced by endurance exercise performed 24 h prior to testing, and that the central circulation plays a major role in this response. Furthermore, since blood lactate is reduced at the thresholds by prior exercise, the use of a lactate level of 4 mmol l-1 as a criterion for Tlac should be interpreted cautiously.