Acta Gymnica 2019, 49(2):51-57 | DOI: 10.5507/ag.2019.004

Effect of lactate supplementation on V̇O2peak and onset of blood lactate accumulation: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Aaron E. Russ1, Albino G. Schifino2, Chee-Hoi Leong1
1 Department of Physical Education and Human Performance, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT, USA
2 Department of Kinesiology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

Background: Professional and recreational athletes use ergogenic aids to enhance aerobic performance, facilitate training adaptations, and reduce recovery time. While the ergogenic effect of commonly marketed and commercially available ergogenic aids (i.e., sodium bicarbonate and β-alanine) have been investigated extensively, the effectiveness of lactate supplementation on aerobic capacity markers (i.e., V̇O2peak and the onset blood lactate accumulation) has not been thoroughly investigated.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of lactate supplementation on V̇O2peak and the onset blood lactate accumulation (OBLA).

Methods: Eighteen healthy individuals (14 men and 4 women, age: 24 ± 5 years, height: 171 ± 7 cm, body mass: 76 ± 17 kg) participated in a double-blind-placebo-controlled study and were randomly assigned to one of 2 groups: placebo (PLA, n = 8), or supplement (SUP, n = 10) consisting of a combination of magnesium lactate dihydrate and calcium lactate monohydrate. Prior to and following supplementation, participants performed a cycling graded exercise test to determine V̇O2peak, time to exhaustion, power output, V̇O2 and % V̇O2peak associated with OBLA.

Results: There were no statistically significant differences between PLA and SUP in direct markers of aerobic capacity (all p > .05). Heart rate at OBLA was reduced by 6 ± 6% in the PLA group post-supplementation compared to pre-supplementation (p = .03).

Conclusions: Lactate supplementation did not present an advantage over a placebo in improving aerobic capacity. The results from this study support those by previous investigators suggesting that there is no physiological rationale for using lactate supplementation to improve aerobic capacity and/or performance.

Keywords: lactate supplementation, ergogenic aids, exercise testing, cycling, aerobic capacity

Received: December 6, 2018; Accepted: March 25, 2019; Prepublished online: April 5, 2019; Published: June 30, 2019  Show citation

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Russ, A.E., Schifino, A.G., & Leong, C. (2019). Effect of lactate supplementation on V̇O2peak and onset of blood lactate accumulation: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Acta Gymnica, 49(2), 51-57. doi: 10.5507/ag.2019.004
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