The lactate threshold is the point where lactate accumulates in the blood during exercise, causing the blood to become acidic. Athletes use it to improve performance and can be raised through interval and fartlek training.
The lactate threshold (LT) is the limit at which the anion of the lactate molecule begins to accumulate in an individual’s blood system. When muscles exercise they create energy without oxygen, they create lactic acid which then passes into the blood. Caused by intense exercise, the lactate threshold is commonly used by athletes and their coaches to help improve exercise performance. The lactate threshold is also known as the anaerobic threshold.
A complex process, lactate accumulates in the blood during exercise. As bicarbonate stores within the blood are depleted, hydrogen ions created by high-intensity exercise are released into the bloodstream, resulting in the development of OBLA. The lactate threshold is the point at which this process begins to occur, and the blood becomes acidic.
Lactate buildup is generally not a problem in an average exercise regimen because lactate removal can keep up with lactate creation. However, competitive athletes are often particularly interested in this specific limit. Measured via a ramp test, an exercise where the progressive intensity of the exercise can be calculated, typically a small blood sample is taken from the fingertip or earlobe which can then be used to identify the exact threshold point of an individual.
This can be very useful for people who compete in endurance sports, where lactic acid buildup can be detrimental to performance, causing soreness and muscle exhaustion. Knowing the training lactate threshold is greatly beneficial so that athletes can exercise at higher intensities before their thresholds are reached and performance begins to deteriorate. Measured against high-intensity training maximal oxygen uptake (VO2), lactate threshold is normally expressed as a percentage of VO2. For example, if an athlete reaches their VO2 when running at 10 miles (approximately 16 km) per hour and blood acidification is determined to occur at 5 miles (approximately 8 km) per hour, then their lactate threshold would be 50 VO2 percent.
Raising the lactate threshold is typically done through the use of training methods such as interval and fartlek techniques. While fartlek allows athletes to exercise just above and below their threshold, interval training allows people to work at points well above their threshold, with low-intensity recovery times between sessions. Over time, the body generally gets used to higher intensity training, altering its thresholds appropriately so that athletes can work harder for longer periods of time without experiencing the effects of increased lactic acid.
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