What is Lactic Acid Build Up and How Does it Affect Your Workouts?

G’day, it’s Tiri here, the founder at CuperSleeve. Today, we're talking about a topic that's close to all our hearts (and muscles): lactic acid build up. That burning sensation after a tough workout or game is enough to make anyone want to crawl into a foam roller and never leave. But what exactly is lactic acid build up and how does it affect muscle performance and recovery? 

Whether you're a seasoned athlete or just starting to get active, read on as we break down everything you need to know about lactic acid build up, from what it is and how it affects your body, to the symptoms you might experience and how to reduce them. I'll also answer some common questions about lactic acid build up including: is lactic acid a sign of good or bad exercise performance? And, can it lead to muscle injury or long-term damage?

A Misunderstood Molecule: What is Lactic Acid Build Up?

So what exactly is lactic acid build up and why does everyone talk about it like it's the boogeyman of exercise? 

Think of lactic acid as the party crasher that comes uninvited to your muscles' shindig. It's a byproduct of intense exercise that can sometimes cause discomfort, but it's also a sign that your muscles are working hard.

When you exercise, your muscles need energy to move. When they need energy faster than they can get it from oxygen, they start breaking down glucose, and this process creates lactic acid as a byproduct. As you exercise more, the amount of lactic acid in your muscles increases.

But lactic acid isn't just some annoying byproduct of your workout. It actually plays an important role! 

Lactic acid is like the clean-up crew in your body. It may be a pain to have around during a tough workout, but it's actually doing important work. As soon as you finish exercising, lactic acid heads to your liver, where it's converted into glucose and used for energy or stored for later use. Importantly, lactic acid is also responsible for helping your muscles recover from a workout, getting them ready for their next shift at the gym. 

So, while you might curse it while you're doing burpees, lactic acid is actually a pretty cool guy.

Effects of Lactic Acid Build Up on Muscle Performance

Short-term effects 

Lactic acid build up can have an immediate impact on muscle performance, slowing you down and causing fatigue. During high-intensity exercise, lactic acid can accumulate in the muscles faster than it can be cleared - so your short-term effects are, unsurprisingly:

• Decreased muscle performance 
• A burning sensation in your muscles
• Decreased strength and power output

Long-term effects

If left unchecked, lactic acid build up actually does have long-term effects on muscle performance. Over time, it can lead to:

• Decreased muscle endurance
• Increased muscle soreness, and 
• Slower recovery times
• Decreased athletic performance
• Increased risk of injury

Lactic acid build up and muscle recovery

Lactic acid build up can also impact muscle recovery after exercise. Like a pebble in your shoe, it can cause discomfort and delay the healing process. High levels of lactic acid in the muscles can lead to increased inflammation, delaying muscle recovery and increasing the risk of injury. To help speed up muscle recovery, it's essential to reduce lactic acid build up and promote its clearance from the body.

Symptoms of Lactic Acid Build Up

In my earlier days playing ball as a teenager, back when I was still learning how to pace myself, I struggled to keep up my training intensity and would wonder why I was feeling mentally drained. It wasn't until I learned about the effects of lactic acid build up that I realised what was causing my symptoms and was able to incorporate simple techniques - like properly fueling my body - to improve my performance.

So let’s take a closer look, shall we? One of the most common physical symptoms of lactic acid build up is muscle soreness, especially in the affected area. This soreness is often described as a dull, aching pain that can last for several days. You might also experience muscle cramps or stiffness, and a burning sensation in the muscles during exercise (ie. the burn).

But it’s not just physical. Lactic acid build up can also cause mental symptoms such as fatigue, mental fog, and decreased motivation. These can impact your workout performance and make it difficult to continue training at a consistent intensity.

How do I determine if lactic acid build up is the cause of my muscle pain and fatigue?

Pay attention to the timing and intensity of your symptoms. Basically, if you’re experiencing muscle soreness, cramps, or stiffness during or immediately after exercise, it’s likely that lactic acid build up is the culprit.

Reducing Lactic Acid Build Up During Exercise

Okay, so we’ve talked about the symptoms of lactic acid build up - now, let’s talk prevention. Hopefully, it comes as no surprise that injury prevention is a huge topic for me personally, and reducing lactic acid build up during exercise is part and parcel of that. 

These simple techniques will help reduce lactic acid build up during your next game or workout:

• Slow and steady wins the race: Try to avoid going all out in your workouts. Gradually increasing your intensity will help prevent lactic acid build up.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate: Make sure you drink plenty of water before, during, and after your workout. This will help flush out lactic acid and prevent build up.
• Take breaks: Taking short breaks during your workout can help reduce the build up of lactic acid.
• Breathe: Yes, seriously. It’s easy to trust that it’s something our bodies will do without having to think about it, but being conscious about how you’re breathing is going to make a difference. Notice when you’re holding your breath. Notice when your breaths are short and sharp. Notice when you’re filling your lungs through to the top. None of these are inherently good or bad - you just want to make sure that you’re being intentional about what you’re doing!

If you’re interested in supplements or foods that can help reduce lactic acid build up, here are some top picks:

• Tart cherry juice: This juice has been shown to reduce muscle pain and fatigue caused by lactic acid build up.
• Sodium bicarbonate: This supplement can help neutralise lactic acid build up in the body.
• Beets: Beets are high in nitrates, which have been shown to reduce lactic acid build up during exercise.

Does Lactic Acid Build Up Lead to Muscle Injury or Long-Term Damage?

Lactic acid build up is a natural and normal process that occurs in the body during exercise. It's often blamed for muscle pain, fatigue, and even injury, but the truth is that lactic acid itself is not the cause of muscle injury. In fact, lactic acid is actually an important energy source for the body during intense physical activity.

The Truth Behind the Myth of Lactic Acid Causing Muscle Damage

The myth that lactic acid causes muscle damage stems from a misunderstanding of the role of lactic acid in the body. Lactic acid is produced as a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, which is the process by which the body produces energy when oxygen levels are low. The buildup of lactic acid can cause a burning sensation in the muscles, but it does not cause muscle damage.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the key to preventing muscle injury during and after exercise is to properly warm up and cool down. A proper warm-up will gradually increase the heart rate, oxygen flow, and body temperature, preparing the muscles for the workout ahead. A proper cool down will gradually decrease the heart rate, oxygen flow, and body temperature, helping to prevent muscle injury.

And for you headstrong young guns out there: listen to your body and actually take breaks when needed. Pushing yourself too hard too fast can lead to muscle injury, so pace yourself and be mindful of your limits. 

How Long Does it Take for Lactic Acid to Clear from the Body?

Typically, it takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour for lactic acid to say its farewells and leave the body. However, this is not a hard and fast rule (at all!), and depends heavily on age, muscle mass, exercise intensity, and recovery time. Younger folks usually clear lactic acid faster than their older peers, and people with larger muscle mass tend to have a faster clearance speed compared to those with a smaller muscle mass. 

The Impact of Regular Exercise on the Clearance Speed of Lactic Acid

Regular exercise can have a positive impact on the clearance speed of lactic acid. When you engage in regular exercise, your body becomes more efficient at clearing lactic acid. It's like upgrading your car to a more powerful engine. 

Regular exercise can help increase the speed of lactic acid clearance, which can reduce the time it takes for the lactic acid to clear from the body. This, in turn, can lead to faster recovery times and improved athletic performance.

Is Lactic Acid Build Up a Sign of Good or Bad Exercise Performance?

Lactic acid build up has been a topic of debate for many years, with some thinking of it as a sign of a good workout, while others believe it's a sign of poor performance. But the truth is, lactic acid build up is more complex than that.

On one hand, lactic acid build up can be a sign of intense exercise, which can be a good thing as it means that you're pushing yourself and working your muscles to their limit. On the other hand, lactic acid build up can also lead to muscle fatigue, which can impact your performance and limit the amount of work you can do.

Lactic acid build up can be used to measure the intensity of your workout. The higher the level of lactic acid in your muscles, the more intense the workout. This is why lactic acid build up is often used as a marker of exercise intensity in sports performance testing.

The Great Divide: Lactic Acid Build Up vs. Muscle Fatigue

First things first: what’s muscle fatigue? To differentiate between lactic acid build up and muscle fatigue, we need to define the latter first.

Essentially, muscle fatigue is a sensation of tiredness or exhaustion in the muscles, which can occur during or after exercise. This can be caused by a variety of factors such as low glycogen levels, dehydration, or muscle damage. During intense exercise, the muscles are working hard to contract and produce force, and as a result, they can become fatigued and start to feel heavy and weak.

Muscle fatigue can be caused by a variety of factors, including low glycogen levels, dehydration, muscle damage, and neural fatigue. Low glycogen levels can cause the muscles to feel tired and weak, while dehydration can lead to an electrolyte imbalance, which can cause muscle cramping and fatigue. Muscle damage can also result in muscle fatigue, as the damaged muscles need to work harder to produce force. Neural fatigue occurs when the nerve impulses that control muscle contractions become less effective, leading to muscle fatigue.

Lactic Acid Build Up vs. Muscle Fatigue

Lactic acid build up and muscle fatigue are two different things, although they are often confused. 

The key difference between them, is that lactic acid build up is a physical phenomenon, while muscle fatigue is a more subjective experience.

We know this because we can explain lactic acid build up in an objective, scientific way, as a physical phenomenon that occurs when the body produces more lactic acid than it can clear, leading to a buildup in the muscles which can cause a burning sensation and muscle pain. 

My #1 Recommendation (hint: it won’t surprise you)

Well folks, we've covered a lot of ground in this article! I hope you now have a better understanding of lactic acid build up and how it affects the body during and after exercise. And let's not forget about muscle fatigue, lactic acid’s sneaky sidekick.

Now, let's bring it all together with something I can wax lyrical on for hours: recover through cold compression. As someone who has suffered from post-workout pain and injury, I know the importance of proper recovery. And that's where cold compression sleeves come in. They work by reducing lactic acid build up and promoting blood flow, which can lead to faster recovery times and improved athletic performance.

So, if you're someone who's active and wants to keep your body in tip-top shape, I highly recommend considering a cold compression sleeve. Not only will it help you recover faster, but it'll also help you get back in the game quicker. Trust me, your body will thank you!