Effect of lactate consumption on exercise performance

Maintenance of plasma glucose is important in endurance performance. Gluconeogenesis or carbohydrate ingestion maintain glucose after hepatic glycogen depletion. Lactate may also serve as a gluconeogenic precursor as well as a blood buffer.

To determine if an 8% carbohydrate (CHO) sports drink with and without a 2% lactate (L) solution increased endurance performance, peak power, and delayed blood acidosis, seven trained cyclists participated in a double-blind randomized study (6 males and 1 female) performed a bicycle test to determine max VO2max HR and the HR associated with the first respiratory exchange ratio (RER) value greater than 1.0 (target HR). Four bicycle rides to exhaustion, separated by one week, were done at a constant workload at a HR 10 beats below each subject's target HR. After a 12-hour fast, subjects received 100 g CHO 2-3 hrs before each test. Mean exercise heart rate was 86-87% max HR. During the final 30 s of each ride the Wingate power test was performed. Subjects consumed either (placebo, 2% L, 8% CHO or 8% CHO plus 2% L) every 20 min. Blood samples were collected before, every 30 min during and immediately following the test.

No significant differences were observed in total time (placebo: 95.3 +/- 25.8, 2% lactate: 95.7 +/- 30.0, 8% CHO: 105.2 +/- 37.2, 8% CHO + 2% lactate: 89.0 +/- 28.1 min) or peak power (placebo: 798.2 +/- 241.1, 2% L: 750.1 +/- 279.2, 8% CHO: 789.4 +/- 353.5, 8% CHO + 2% L: 716.3 +/- 331.3 Watts) among drinks. There were no differences in insulin, glucose, pH and HCO3- after the power tests among the drinks.

Exercise performance is unaffected by oral supplementation with lactate.