Comments on: Lactic acid is an energy source – if you know how to use it http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/04/21/lactic-acid-is-an-energy-source-if-you-know-how-to-use-it/ General interest observations and true web-log. Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:32:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Zuke http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/04/21/lactic-acid-is-an-energy-source-if-you-know-how-to-use-it/comment-page-1/#comment-130023 Zuke Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:58:16 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5096#comment-130023 I have my doubts on this as well. I mountain bike race competitively and I've started taking a supplement called SportLegs. It contains a small dose of calcium lactate and magnesium lactate. The basic theory is that the presence of lactate in the bloodstream tricks your body into thinking it does not need to produce lactic acid so soon and so much of it, hence delaying muscle cramps and fatigue/burn. Several world champion cyclists swear by the stuff and I believe it works for me too. It is a new small company, so I don't believe they are getting paid big bucks for endorsing stuff that doesn't work. It's not a dramatic difference (like taking steroids or blood doping), but any small advantage helps, especially if you're doing a 24 hour endurance race! If lactic acid was fuel, this stuff wouldn't work worth a bean and would actually be a disadvantage. Perhaps the good professor is confusing increased performance resulting from increased VO2 capacity and muscle strength/conditioning from training as a byproduct of this theoretical lactic acid-as-fuel concept. I have my doubts on this as well.

I mountain bike race competitively and I’ve started taking a supplement called SportLegs. It contains a small dose of calcium lactate and magnesium lactate. The basic theory is that the presence of lactate in the bloodstream tricks your body into thinking it does not need to produce lactic acid so soon and so much of it, hence delaying muscle cramps and fatigue/burn. Several world champion cyclists swear by the stuff and I believe it works for me too. It is a new small company, so I don’t believe they are getting paid big bucks for endorsing stuff that doesn’t work. It’s not a dramatic difference (like taking steroids or blood doping), but any small advantage helps, especially if you’re doing a 24 hour endurance race! If lactic acid was fuel, this stuff wouldn’t work worth a bean and would actually be a disadvantage.

Perhaps the good professor is confusing increased performance resulting from increased VO2 capacity and muscle strength/conditioning from training as a byproduct of this theoretical lactic acid-as-fuel concept.

]]> By: Me http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/04/21/lactic-acid-is-an-energy-source-if-you-know-how-to-use-it/comment-page-1/#comment-130022 Me Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:52:03 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5096#comment-130022 Yeah, I thought this was common knowledge also. One of the things that separates world class endurance athletes from the rest of us is that they generally don't hit "the wall" (when the body's glycogen store runs out @ 20 miles in a marathon). They know how to train so they can switch fuel sources. Yeah, I thought this was common knowledge also. One of the things that separates world class endurance athletes from the rest of us is that they generally don’t hit “the wall” (when the body’s glycogen store runs out @ 20 miles in a marathon). They know how to train so they can switch fuel sources.

]]> By: Jammer http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/04/21/lactic-acid-is-an-energy-source-if-you-know-how-to-use-it/comment-page-1/#comment-130004 Jammer Fri, 21 Apr 2006 17:10:12 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5096#comment-130004 Why are people surprised by this? I thought this was common knowledge for at least a decade. Apparently some people don't read others' research. CytoMax (an endurance drink) has utilized this knowledge for a long time. It acts as a sort of buffer/transport for the lactic acid helping move it to where it can be utilized for fuel. I used to use it back in the days when I used to cycle a lot and it worked great. Why are people surprised by this? I thought this was common knowledge for at least a decade. Apparently some people don’t read others’ research. CytoMax (an endurance drink) has utilized this knowledge for a long time. It acts as a sort of buffer/transport for the lactic acid helping move it to where it can be utilized for fuel. I used to use it back in the days when I used to cycle a lot and it worked great.

]]> By: moss http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/04/21/lactic-acid-is-an-energy-source-if-you-know-how-to-use-it/comment-page-1/#comment-130000 moss Fri, 21 Apr 2006 16:46:35 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5096#comment-130000 Is the comment supposed to be a subtle illustration of the difference between lore and science? Is the comment supposed to be a subtle illustration of the difference between lore and science?

]]> By: sh http://www.dvorak.org/blog/2006/04/21/lactic-acid-is-an-energy-source-if-you-know-how-to-use-it/comment-page-1/#comment-129974 sh Fri, 21 Apr 2006 15:17:34 +0000 http://www.dvorak.org/blog/?p=5096#comment-129974 having run 3 full marathons and numerous smaller races this is BS. Steve having run 3 full marathons and numerous smaller races this is BS.
Steve

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