Lactate testing is a powerful tool for anyone looking to gain detailed insights into their metabolic fitness and to optimize their training and performance

How Lactate Testing is Conducted

Blood lactate testing for runners is typically conducted as follows:

  • The test is performed on a treadmill starting with a 10 minute warm up at an easy pace.

  • The test starts at a very low intensity, even walking pace for some runners. Intensity is increased in stages, with each stage lasting 5-6 minutes. At the end of each stage, a small blood sample is taken.

  • A small blood sample is collected from the fingertip. The tester carefully approaches the blood droplet with a test strip, avoiding skin contact. The test strip is analysed by the lactate meter.

  • The test continues with gradually increasing intensities until the runner reaches their lactate threshold or a predetermined point.

  • The data is plotted to create a lactate curve, showing how lactate levels change with increasing intensity. The aerobic threshold and lactate threshold is identified, typically the point where lactate begins to accumulate rapidly.

Who Should Consider Lactate Testing?

  • Endurance Athletes: Runners and other endurance athletes seeking to optimize their performance.

  • Coaches and Trainers: Professionals designing training programs for athletes.

  • Fitness Enthusiasts: Individuals interested in understanding and improving their fitness levels.

  • Medical Professionals: To assess and monitor the fitness and recovery of patients.

What is Lactate and the anaerobic threshold?

Blood lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism, produced when the body breaks down glycogen for energy without using oxygen. At lower intensities the body can efficiently clear lactate, however at a certain point production exceeds clearance and blood lactate levels exponentially rise, also known as the lactate threshold. Understanding this threshold is crucial for runners, as it helps determine the sustainable pace for longer distances. Training just below the lactate threshold enhances the ability to maintain faster paces for longer periods by training the body to clear blood lactate more efficiently.

Purpose of Lactate Testing

  1. Identifying lactate threshold: Blood lactate testing helps pinpoint the exact intensity at which a runner's lactate production begins to exceed clearance. This threshold is crucial for determining sustainable race paces and optimizing training intensities.

  2. Personalizing training zones: By understanding individual lactate responses, runners can establish precise training zones tailored to their current fitness level, ensuring workouts are neither too easy nor too challenging.

  3. Enhancing recovery: Understanding lactate responses can guide recovery protocols between hard efforts or races, ensuring optimal adaptation and preventing overtraining.

  4. Assessing training effectiveness: By comparing lactate profiles over time, runners and coaches can evaluate the effectiveness of training programs and make necessary adjustments.