Accumulation of Lactic Acid and the Anaerobic Threshold

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Physical Education - Accumulation of Lactic Acid and the Anaerobic
Threshold

Accumulation of Lactic Acid and the Anaerobic Threshold

The maximal concentration level of lactic acid that the aerobic system can
cope with (i.e. the level it can continue to break down without rapid
accumulation) is about 4 milli mol.

Example:

The accumulation of lactate does not occur until the "High" intensity -
this would be denoted as the anaerobic threshold [1]. It is not uncommon to
have athletes tested to maximal levels with 16 mmol or more of lactate
accumulated in their bodies at the end of a race. This is not a comfortable
feeling, and is only possible with the knowledge that the finish line is in
sight! The ability to continue to work at such high levels of lactic acid
accumulation is typical of highly trained and motivated athletes who have
developed a level of . If you have undertaken the 20m multi stage fitness
test, or the "beep" test as it is commonly called, you will have noticed
lactic acid accumulation in your leg muscles as you came to the end of the
test. You probably could have gone on for longer but your tolerance to the
lactic acid is low and you stopped running. When you finished the test your
teacher probably told you to keep moving around and not to sit down. This
was to keep the blood circulating so that venous pooling did not occur. You
would continue, therefore, at a low level of aerobic work so as to supply
oxygen to keep up the breakdown of lactic acid through the Krebs cycle [2].

If an athlete's lactate levels exceed approximately 4 mmol as a result of
extended exercise over their AT, the athlete needs to reduce intensity
levels below their AT in order for the aerobic system (Krebs cycle) to
break down the excess LA. This reduced intensity means there is more oxygen
available to the working muscles. Failure to do this would result in
significant fatigue.

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[1] http://alison.com/#
[2] http://alison.com/#