What is lactic acid and how is it treated? + Video

After strenuous exercise, you may also experience muscle fatigue and burning. There is an accumulation of substances called lactic acid in your muscles, which can reduce or stop their activity. Thus, by knowing the methods of excretion of lactic acid and utilizing them, this muscle fatigue may be reduced. Is it known why lactic acid is produced and what role it plays in muscle fatigue?

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What is lactic acid?

The body tries to provide you with biochemical processes when you exercise or engage in physical activity. Energy is provided naturally by aerobic respiration, which requires oxygen and fuels from foods, like glucose. During strenuous exercise, the muscles need more oxygen, so anaerobic respiration is used for energy that does not require oxygen, and lactic acid is a byproduct of anaerobic respiration.

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Symptoms of lactic acid accumulation:

Muscles feel burning when lactic acid accumulates. During these times, lactic acid accumulates more, which is why this feeling occurs between the middle and end of a workout. Alternatively, this condition is more common during strenuous and prolonged activity, since the body produces more lactic acid than it can excrete.

As soon as you rest or your intense activity decreases, the lactic acid level returns to normal, and the burning sensation should disappear. In fact, the body naturally prevents lactic acid accumulation.

However, some people may develop lactic acidosis. Lactic acid accumulates in the bloodstream. Almost all lactic acid travels through the bloodstream to the liver, where it is broken down. However, people with liver problems may have difficulty breaking it down. You should see a doctor if you have lactic acidosis. These symptoms include:

Feeling confused;
General fatigue;
Yellowing of the skin and eyes;
Weakness;
Headache;
Appetite problems;
High heart rate;
Abdominal pain and discomfort;
Muscle cramps and pain;
Diarrhea, nausea or vomiting;
Respiratory problems such as slow or fast breathing.

Lactic acidosis can also occur with diseases that lower blood pressure or reduce oxygen delivery to tissues. These diseases include:

Cancer;
AIDS;
alcohol consumption;
Cirrhosis of the liver.
Reduce lactic acid during exercise

 

1. Hydrate

Since lactic acid is soluble in water, drinking water and keeping the body hydrated reduces the burning sensation in the muscles.

Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise. If you feel thirsty, you are actually dehydrated.
Before exercise, drink half a liter of water, and every 20 minutes during exercise, drink a quarter liter of water.

2. Take a deep breath

During exercise, lactic acid buildup in the muscles and oxygen deprivation cause muscle soreness. This problem can be resolved by how you breathe during exercise.

Make sure you breathe deeply each time. Exhale through your nose and mouth.
Oxygen will be delivered to the muscles, stopping the production of lactic acid.
Taking deep and intense breaths during exercise should not cause pain.

3. Maintain a healthy heart rate.

Excessive activity leads to lactic acid buildup. You need to keep your heart rate within the fat burning or cardio range, depending on your goal. Exercises that raise your heart rate above this threshold can be beneficial for your aerobic health, but these exercises should not last longer than a minute or two. It is recommended that you keep your heart rate below your anaerobic threshold during most workouts.

Calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting 220 from your number. If you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate is 190 beats per minute.
Your fat burning range is between 50% and 70% of your maximum heart rate. In the case of a 30-year-old, this range is 95 to 133 beats per minute.
The range of the cardio is between 70% and 85% of the maximum heart rate. The range for 13-year-olds is between 133 and 162 beats per minute.
A heart rate greater than 162 beats per minute indicates that it has entered anaerobic phase and is putting pressure on itself.

4. Exercise regularly

As a result, your body burns calories and consumes energy more efficiently. After exercising several times a week, rest for at least a day or two. Gradually increase your workout intensity. Set up a workout schedule and gradually add minutes or repetitions to it.

5. Be careful when lifting weights.

Weightlifting requires more oxygen, so it accumulates more lactic acid. We mentioned the burning sensation, but lactic acid accumulation can cause muscle damage by causing minor tears and causing pain for several days.

As you increase the weights and repetitions, your body will produce enough lactic acid.

6. If you feel burning at the beginning, reduce the intensity.

The burning sensation you experience during strenuous exercise is the body’s way of protecting itself from overactivity. Exercise shouldn’t be painful.

7. Stretch after exercising.

Stretching exercises help to expel lactic acid, thus reducing the burning sensation and muscle cramps. Massage different areas of your body with your fingertips while stretching your muscles slowly and without extra pressure.
You can also reduce minor tears that cause pain the next day.

8. Be active

after exercising, but live an active life. Your muscles need more than oxygen and water. Do not worry if you sometimes feel burning in your muscles. Low levels of lactic acid are not harmful to your body and may even improve your metabolism.

Lactic acid aids in the absorption of energy. Lactic acid burns calories more efficiently. Anaerobic exercise improves cardiac endurance over time.

Dietary reduction of lactic acid:

1. Consume more magnesium

Magnesium is necessary to produce energy in the body, and its proper amount transfers energy to the muscles during exercise and limits the accumulation of lactic acid. Try increasing your magnesium intake. Magnesium supplements can also help. You do not need to do this if you eat properly.

Magnesium is found in vegetables such as beets, spinach, turnips, green beans, legumes such as cowpeas, pinto beans, and seeds such as tofu, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and squash.

2. Consume foods rich in fatty acids

Fat-rich foods help break down glucose, which is essential for normal energy production, and limit the production of lactic acid in strenuous exercise. In contrast, it will sustain you for a longer period of time.

You can use cold water fish such as salmon and mackerel, nuts and seeds such as walnuts and flaxseed, and vegetable oils such as corn oil, sunflower oil and soybean oil.
After exercising, fatty acids reduce inflammation, thereby reducing muscle soreness.

3. Eat foods that contain B vitamins

In the body, vitamin B facilitates glucose transport and reduces the need for lactic acid. Foods high in B vitamins include:

leafy green vegetables;
Cereals;
Peas and beans;

Fish, beef, poultry, eggs, and dairy products are high in protein.
If you want to reduce post-workout muscle soreness, you need to warm up before exercise and cool down after exercise. This warms up the muscles and prepares them for physical activity. You should also be aware of your physical limitations and gradually increase your exercise level.

Can lactic acid cause muscle burning and fatigue?

In the past, lactic acid caused muscle pain and fatigue. When lactose levels are low, as during strenuous exercise, too much lactic acid builds up in the muscles. According to the researchers, the high pH of the blood caused lactic acid to not remain in the body and instead be broken down into lactate and a hydrogen ion during metabolism. Hydrogen ions contribute to post-workout muscle fatigue by creating an acidic environment.