Int J Sports Med 2006; 27(1): 60-66
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-837507
Training & Testing

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Effects of Training on Lactate Kinetics Parameters and their Influence on Short High-Intensity Exercise Performance

L. Messonnier1 , H. Freund2 , C. Denis3 , L. Féasson3 , J.-R. Lacour4
  • 1Laboratory of Modelling Physical Activities, Department STAPS, University of Savoie, Le Bourget du Lac Cedex, France
  • 2Laboratory of Pharmacology and Physico-Chemistry of Cellular and Molecular Interactions, Faculty of Pharmacology - UMR CNRS 7034, Illkirch Cedex, France
  • 3Laboratory of Physiology, EA 3062 - PPEH Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University Jean Monnet, Saint-Etienne Cedex 2, France
  • 4Laboratory of Exercise Physiology - LBMH, Faculty of Medicine Lyon-Sud, Oullins Cedex, France
Further Information

Publication History

Accepted after revision: November 15, 2004

Publication Date:
09 May 2005 (online)

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Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to relate the training-induced alterations in lactate kinetics parameters to the concomitant changes in time to exhaustion (Tlim) at a work rate corresponding to maximal oxygen uptake (Papeak). Eight subjects performed before and after training i) an incremental exercise up to exhaustion to determine Papeak, ii) a 5-min 90 % Papeak exercise followed by a 90-min passive recovery to determine an individual blood lactate recovery curve fitted to the bi-exponential time function: La(t) = La(0) + A1(1 - e-γ1 · t) + A2(1 - e-γ2 · t), and iii) a time to exhaustion at Papeak to determine Tlim. A biopsy of the vastus lateralis muscle was made before and after training. The training programme consisted in pedalling on a cycle ergometer 2 h a day, 6 days a week, for 4 weeks. Training-induced increases (p < 0.05) in Papeak, muscle capillary density, citrate synthase activity, γ2 that denotes the lactate removal ability (from 0.0547 ± 0.0038 to 0.0822 ± 0.0071 min-1) and Tlim (from 299 ± 23 to 486 ± 63 s), decreases (p < 0.05) in activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and muscle type of LDH, the phosphofructokinase/citrate synthase activities ratio and the estimated net amount of lactate released (NALR) during exercise recovery (from 66.5 ± 8.6 to 47.2 ± 11.1 mmol) were also observed. The improvement of Tlim with training was related to the increase in γ2 (r = 0.74, p = 0.0367) and to the decrease in NALR (r = 0.77, p = 0.0250). These results suggest that the post-training greater ability to remove lactate from the organism and reduced muscle lactate accumulation during exercise account for the concomitant improvement of the time to exhaustion during high-intensity exercise performed at the same relative work rate.