Content

• Steps
• Advice

Lactic acid is released into muscles when the muscles have used up their normal energy stores but still have a high need for energy. A small amount of lactic acid acts as a temporary source of energy, so you won't get exhausted during exercise.However, the buildup of lactic acid during exercise can increase a burning sensation in your muscles and slow or delay your fitness. For this reason, you will probably want to reduce the lactic acid build up in muscles. This wikiHow article will show you how.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Recognize lactic acid buildup

1. 

   Be aware of a muscle burning sensation caused by lactic acid. During exercise, the body normally relies on stored glucose and inhaled oxygen as a source of fuel. However, intense exercise can push the body to work too quickly and excessively, leaving insufficient oxygen and glucose stores. The body will now release lactic acid for fuel, ie the body is entering anaerobic metabolic state.
   • Lactic acid is also known as lactate.
   • Our bodies will remain in an anaerobic metabolic state for quite some time. You will naturally feel tired when your body reaches its limit.

2. 

   
   
   Understand that lactic acid is helpful in most cases. Lactic acid is produced naturally when the body converts glucose into energy during exercise. It allows the body to absorb and use this energy. However, problems can arise if you force your body to be overactive for a long time. In most cases, this effect will go away on its own.
   • Accumulation of too much latic acid can lead to lactic acidosis, but this is uncommon.

3. 

   
   
   Watch out for harmful lactic acid build-up symptoms. Although exercise-induced lactic acid buildup is generally not of concern, lactic acidosis can occur. If you notice these symptoms, let your doctor know, do not try to diagnose yourself. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include:
   • Feeling disoriented
   • Feeling of weakness
   • Jaundice
   • Yellow eyes
   • Have breathing problems, such as shallow or fast breathing
   • Heart beat fast
   • Pain or cramps in muscles
   • Abdominal pain and discomfort
   • Tired
   • Headache
   • Not delicious
   • Diarrhea, nausea and / or vomiting

4. 

   
   
   Don't associate lactic acid with muscle pain after exercise. Lactic acid is often mistakenly attributed to the culprit of muscle pain that occurs 1-3 days after exercise. However, recent research shows that lactic acid (which acts as a temporary fuel source during times of intense physical activity) is eliminated from the body within 1 hour after the session ends, hence it is not responsible for the muscle pain feeling for many days afterwards.
   • The most recent hypothesis is that this muscle pain - also known as late onset myalgia (DOMS) - is the result of damage to muscle cells during intense exercise, causing inflammation, swelling, and soreness while the muscles are repairing on their own.

   Advice: To relieve muscle pain after exercise, you need to properly warm up and relax to cool down after exercising. This step will wake up the muscles and prepare them for movement. It is also important to avoid pushing the body beyond its limits; Instead, gradually increase the volume of your workouts.

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Part 2 of 3: Reducing lactic acid during exercise

1. 

   Stay hydrated. Lactic acid is water-soluble, so the more water your body becomes, the less burning you will feel when lactic acid builds up during exercise.
   • Drink plenty of fluids during exercise as well as before and after exercise. Don't forget that when you realize that you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated.
   • Drink 240ml - 480ml of water before training, then drink 240ml of water every 20 minutes.

2. 

   Deep breath. The cause of burning sensation in muscles during exercise consists of 2 parts: one part is due to the accumulation of lactic acid, the other part is due to lack of oxygen.
   • You can improve this by focusing on breathing while exercising. Remember to inhale and exhale deeply at a steady pace. Try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
   • This action helps the body transport oxygen to the muscles and stop producing lactic acid.

3. 

   Make sure your heart rate is within the right range. Excessive stress causes lactic acid to build up. Depending on your exercise goals, your heart rate should be in the fat burning zone or the cardio area. While short, high-intensity workouts exceeding this threshold can improve your aerobic fitness, make sure you don't exceed the cardio zone for longer than 1-2 minutes at a time.
   • Most of your workouts should be below anaerobic threshold that you can calculate based on age.
     • The first is to calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220 from your age. For example, if you were 30 years old, your calculation would be 220-30 = 190. Your maximum heart rate will be around 190 beats per minute.
     • Next, calculate the fat burning area by multiplying your heart rate by 50% and 70%. You will do the calculation 190X50% = 95 and 190X70% = 133. For a 30-year-old person, the fat burning zone will be in the range 95-133 beats / minute.
     • Finally, calculate the cardio area by multiplying your maximum heart rate by 70% and 85%. In the above example, we have 190X70% = 133 and 190X85% = 162. The cardio area of ​​a 30-year-old will be 133-162 beats / minute.
     • If the person's heart rate exceeds 162 beats per minute, he or she is working too hard. This is their anaerobic threshold.

4. 

   Exercise regularly. The firmer your body is, the lower the glucose level it needs to burn, and the less lactic acid builds up. This is because your body burns calories and dissipates energy more efficiently. You only need to use less force for the same activity.
   • Try to exercise several times a week, but be sure to rest at least the remaining 1-2 days to give your muscles time to recover.

   Advice: Increase exercise intensity slowly. Plan to slowly increase the number of minutes or repeats - this will gradually increase the threshold at which your body starts producing lactic acid.

5. 

   Exercise caution when lifting weights. Lifting weights is the activity that tends to stimulate lactic acid build-up, as it requires more oxygen than the body can provide.
   • Although we are often advised to “feel the burn,” lactic acid buildup can also cause minor traumatic tears in the muscles and lead to soreness for days to come.
   • Make sure to increase your weight and lift gradually to keep lactic acid in a moderate level in your body.

6. 

   Reduce exercise intensity if you start to feel a burning sensation. The burning sensation during intense exercise is the body's own defense mechanism that is trying to prevent overexertion. Make sure there is no pain while exercising.
   • If you are doing aerobic exercises like running, brisk walking, cycling, or on the stair tread or full body machine, slow down. If you are lifting weights, you should reduce the number of lifts or reduce the weight.
   • When you take a break, more oxygen is transported to the muscles and lactic acid is released.

7. 

   Perform muscle relaxation after exercise. Lactic acid dissolves within 30 minutes to 1 hour after exercise, so stretching helps release lactic acid, alleviating a burning sensation or possible cramping.
   • Gently stretch after high intensity exercise and massage gently with your fingertips.
   • This step also helps reduce minor injuries that can cause soreness for days after exercise.

8. 

   Be active. Rest after exercising, but keep an active routine. Muscles need to be active as well as oxygen and water to stay healthy. If you feel a burning sensation in your muscles once in a while, that's okay; Small amounts of lactic acid do not harm the body, it may even benefit metabolism.
   • In small amounts, lactic acid helps the body absorb energy more easily. It burns even more energy! In addition, short periods of exercise in an anaerobic state also allow you to gradually improve cardio endurance.
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Part 3 of 3: Reducing lactic acid through the diet

1. 

   Increase magnesium intake in the body. Magnesium is essential for energy production in the body. The right concentration of magnesium helps the body to fuel the muscles during exercise, thereby helping to limit the accumulation of lactic acid. Therefore, you should try to increase your magnesium intake every day, preferably through diet.
   • You can also get magnesium with a supplement, but with such a healthy and rich diet this isn't necessary.

   Advice: Vegetables such as kale, spinach, collard greens, turnip leaves, green beans and legumes such as navy beans, chamomile beans, kidney beans and lima beans and nuts like zucchini, sesame and sunflower seeds all are excellent sources of magnesium. Tofu - especially nigari tofu - is rich in magnesium.

2. 

   Eat foods rich in fatty acids. Healthy foods rich in fatty acids help the body break down glucose, a process needed for energy production. This can limit your body's lactic acid requirements during intense exercise and help you train for longer.
   • Get essential fatty acids from cold water fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, nuts and seeds like walnuts and flaxseed, and vegetable oils like corn and sunflower oils and soybean oil.
   • Fatty acids also play a role in reducing inflammation, thereby helping to relieve muscle pain during the days after intense exercise.

3. 

   Eat foods rich in B vitamins. B vitamins are very helpful in transporting glucose around the body, providing fuel for the muscles during exercise, thereby reducing the need for lactic acid.
   • Foods rich in B vitamins include green leafy vegetables, celery, beans, peas and protein-rich foods such as fish, beef, poultry, eggs and dairy products.
   • Foods high in B vitamins also help replenish other nutrients that were lost during heavy exercise.
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Advice

• Severe muscle soreness and limited range of motion 1-3 days after intense exercise often occurs in athletes called late onset myalgia (DOMS). Many steps to reduce lactic acid build-up also help avoid DOMS.
• Don't stretch your muscles excessively, as this can cause pain and irritation.
• You can take baking soda to delay lactic acid build-up, but be sure to seek professional advice before taking it.