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Medical Video: Nutrition : How to Eat to Reduce Lactic Acid Buildup in the Muscles
Definition
What is lactic acid?
Lactic acid test is a blood test that measures lactic acid levels in the body. Most are made by muscle tissue and red blood cells. If the oxygen level in the blood is normal, carbohydrates break down into water and carbon dioxide. If oxygen levels are low, carbohydrates break down into energy and lactic acid. Lactic acid levels are higher when excessive exercise or other conditions — such as heart failure, severe infections (sepsis), or shock — reduce blood flow and oxygen throughout the body. Lactic acid levels are also higher if the liver is severely damaged, because the liver normally breaks down lactic acid. Very high levels of lactic acid cause serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions, called lactic acidosis. Lactic acidosis can also occur in people who drink metformin (Glucophage) to control diabetes if they also experience heart or kidney failure or severe infection.
Lactic acid tests are generally carried out in blood samples taken from arteries in the arm but may also be performed on blood samples from the arteries (arterial blood gas).
When do I need to get a lactic acid test?
You need to get a lactic acid test if your doctor needs:
- check if you have lactic acidosis. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include rapid breathing, excessive sweating, cold and wet skin, sweet smelling breath, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting, confusion, and coma
- see if the right amount of oxygen reaches the body's tissues
- find the cause of high acid levels (low pH) in the blood
Prevention & warning
What should I know before undergoing lactic acid?
The results of a lactic acid test may be more accurate if blood is taken from the arteries (arterial blood gas) than from the arteries. Clenching your hands or hands wrapped in bandages for a long time when blood is taken can give you the wrong result in increasing lactic acid levels.
During aerobic exercise, the heart and lungs provide adequate amounts of oxygen to the body for energy. Anaerobic exercise uses more oxygen than the lungs and heart that can provide it to the body so that there is less energy supply, causing an increase in lactic acid levels in the blood. Usually anaerobic exercise forces a person to slow down or stop exercise because lactic acid buildup causes moderate or severe muscle pain and stiff muscles. However, some highly trained athletes learn to tolerate short periods of high lactic acid levels. During aerobic exercise, the air you breathe contains enough oxygen to use blood sugar normally and completely for your body's energy needs, and lactic acid levels do not increase.
Lactic acid can be measured in liquids other than blood, such as spinal fluid. Lactic acid levels in body fluids often increase if there is an infection. The amount of lactic acid in spinal fluid may be measured to determine whether a brain infection is caused by bacteria or a virus.
Process
What should I do before undergoing lactic acid?
To prepare for lactic acid tests:
- do not eat or drink anything other than water for 8-10 hours before the test
- do not exercise for several hours before the test. Exercise can cause a temporary increase in lactic acid levels
What is the process of lactic acid?
The doctor will clean a small area in the arm or elbow with an antiseptic cloth or alcohol pad. In some cases, your doctor will tie an elastic belt around your upper arm to increase blood flow. This makes collecting blood from the arteries much easier. Your arm will then be pricked with a needle that the doctor inserts into the artery. A pipe that will collect blood is placed on the other end of the needle.
Once blood is taken, the doctor will take a needle and then use a cotton cloth and bandage to stop bleeding on the needle-pierced skin.
What should I do after the lactic acid test?
You can return to normal activities after the test. The doctor will discuss with you about the condition and provide appropriate treatment. Sometimes, the doctor may order further examination. Follow the doctor's instructions carefully.
Explanation of Test Results
What do the test results mean?
The test results will be ready in 1 day.
Normal score
The normal score on this list (called 'range reference') only serves as a guide. This range varies from one laboratory to another, and your laboratory may have a different normal score. Your laboratory report will usually contain what range they use. Your doctor will also check your test results based on your health condition and other factors. This means that if your test results enter an abnormal range in this guide, it could be in your laboratory or for your condition the score is in the normal range.
Venous blood: 0.5-2.2 milliequivalent per liter (mEq / l) or 0.5-2.2 millimoles per liter (mmol / l)
Arterial blood: 0.5-1.6 mEq / l or 0.5-1.6 mmol / l
High score
Abnormal results mean that body tissue does not get enough oxygen.
The high value of lactic acid means lactic acidosis, which can be caused by:
- severe dehydration
- blood problems such as severe anemia or leukemia
- liver disease or damage that prevents the liver from breaking down lactic acid in the blood
- conditions such as severe bleeding, shock, severe infection, heart failure, blockage of blood flow to the intestines, carbon monoxide poisoning, or pulmonary embolism that prevents adequate oxygen from reaching the body's cells
- excessive exercise or overheating
- Alcohol poisoning (ethanol), wood alcohol (methanol), or antifreeze (ethylene glycol)
- some drugs, for example isoniazid for TB or metformin (Glucophage) for diabetes. Lactic acidosis is a problem for people who drink metformin to control diabetes, especially those who have poor kidney function
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
