Have you ever reached a point during your daily workout where you feel like you can not continue? If so, your body may have reached the lactate threshold. Lactate is a compound produced in your body during exercise. Under normal circumstances – like during rest and steady-state exercise –the lactate levels in your body are regulated to maintain the proper balance. Your major body organs can use lactate as fuel during this time.
During low intensity exercise – for example when you are walking – lactate can be absorbed quickly. But, during intense exercise, anaerobic metabolism produces energy for short, high-intensity bursts of activity before the lactate build-up reaches a threshold value. At this point, the body starts accumulating a high amount of lactate in body fluids and it becomes difficult for your system to remove the generated lactate faster. This point is known as the lactate threshold.
What is the Indicator of Lactate Threshold?
Usually, monitoring of the lactate threshold is done by measuring the pH value of your blood. A drop in pH value, like from 7.4 to about 7.2 after heavy training sessions marks lactic-acidosis, also known as the lactate threshold. Scientists suggest that a drop in pH value is responsible for fatigue and reduces the power of muscle contractions which can lead to a reduction in high-level performance. Presumably, having a higher lactate threshold means an athlete can continue at a high-intensity effort with a longer period of peak performance. This is why many consider the lactate threshold as a great indicator to predict athletic performance in high-intensity endurance sports.
How Can SMASH Help Athletes?
Currently, lactate levels are measured by conventional methods of taking blood samples and analyzing them in laboratories after vigorous exercise. SMASH has introduced a paradigm shift, which will enable athletes to measure lactate levels in real time and to maximize training without reaching the risk of lactic-acidosis This reduces the chances of muscle injuries, fatigue and maximizes training and results.