Training & Nutrition - Lactic Acid an ingredient in foods?

Yes, I've noticed lactic acid as an ingredient in some foods, listened under ingredients on the food label. What's up with this? Why is it put in foods?

It's a preservative. Nothing to worry about, lactic acid in your stomach will have no direct effect on lactic acid in your muscles.

Lactic acid also known as lactate is a natural ingredient found in many foods like milk. It is put on labels for those who are lactose intolerant. Though I do think some farmers use it to control bacteria growth on their crops. It is not a preservative. It is very good for us active type people.

I don't think it's lactate. Lactic acid was listed in the ingredients in fruit snacks I was eating. Lactate is something different I believe. It probably is a preservative. I was just wondering.

I haven't ahd a chance to read the entire article but you might wantt to check this out

http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/lactic.htm

It is a preservative.
http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/lactic_acid.html
And people are lactose intolerant, although you could say that your average couch potato is lactic acid intolorant! Lactose is a sugar, lactic acid is, well, an acid.
http://sci-toys.com/ingredients/lactose.html
Lactobacillus ferment lactose into lactic acid which is why yogurt and spoilt milk have an acidic taste.

Thats what I like about this site you always learn something new!

Is it true or wives tales that, tomatoes lower lacyic acid , thus increasing endurance?

Endurance is an energy function, how much energy your body can deliver to the muscles for how long. The limitation to endurance is then how much energy you can eat and absorb at the speeds you're riding. Obviously if you're above your LT, lactic acid will build up quickly and your HR will increase. Endurance is a balancing act of energy-in vs. energy-out.

Lactic acid doesn't limit your endurance. It's only generated during high-effort exertions above your LT, like hills and sprinting. To reduce the burn on these activities, I find that 2-tablespoons bi-carbonate in 8oz bottle taken 15-20 minutes before the effort really helps reduce lactic-acid build-up. If you end up with upset stomachs go down to 1-tablespoon or use more water, but the effect won't be as good.

Some of the following information is running specific, but the information about lactic acid is the same no matter what endurance sport you participate in:

http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/lactic.htm

Endurance is an energy function, how much energy your body can deliver to the muscles for how long. The limitation to endurance is then how much energy you can eat and absorb at the speeds you're riding. Obviously if you're above your LT, lactic acid will build up quickly and your HR will increase. Endurance is a balancing act of energy-in vs. energy-out.

Lactic acid doesn't limit your endurance. It's only generated during high-effort exertions above your LT, like hills and sprinting. To reduce the burn on these activities, I find that 2-tablespoons bi-carbonate in 8oz bottle taken 15-20 minutes before the effort really helps reduce lactic-acid build-up. If you end up with upset stomachs go down to 1-tablespoon or use more water, but the effect won't be as good.

When you say bi-carbonate do you mean Baking Soda? I heard that in a Law & Order episode where the trainers would cheat by giving the horses a Gatorade with Baking Soda to buffer the lactic acid. I didn't know if it was safe on humans. so I've never tried it.

When you say bi-carbonate do you mean Baking Soda? I heard that in a Law & Order episode where the trainers would cheat by giving the horses a Gatorade with Baking Soda to buffer the lactic acid. I didn't know if it was safe on humans. so I've never tried it.

From the link I supplied above:


Sodium Bicarbonate
Energy production via anaerobic glycolysis, which is particularly important for events lasting between 30 seconds and 15 minutes, increases the acidity inside the muscle cells, and very soon after does the same to the blood. It is this increase in acidity within the muscle cells that is a major factor in producing fatigue in such events. If there was some way to reduce the acidity within the muscle cells, one could theoretically delay fatigue and thus continue exercising at a very high intensity for longer.

Sodium bicarbonate is an alkalising agent and therefore reduces the acidity of the blood (known as a buffering action). By buffering acidity in the blood, bicarbonate may be able to draw more of the acid produced within the muscle cells out into the blood and thus reduce the level of acidity within the muscle cells themselves. This could delay the onset of fatigue.

A practical approach
Before using either bicarbonate, it is wise to cheek with the governing body of your sport that the substance is not contrary to doping regulations. The most important practical point is the need to experiment with the supplement during training. Typically, an 800 metre runner, may perform a time trial on a particular day after a couple of days of light training. A further couple of days later, after only more light training, he/she can repeat the time trial in a similar environment after bicarbonate supplementation. The exact protocol would be to ingest 0.3 grms of sodium bicarbonate per kg body weight approximately one to two hours before the time trial. That is, for a 66kg runner, consume 20 grms of sodium bicarbonate (about four teaspoons) and, yes, the commonly found bicarb of soda is exactly the substance needed. This experimenting, if repeated several times, should reveal whether bicarb supplementation is likely to produce any benefit and whether the athlete concerned is susceptible to any side effects.

It is likely that large individual differences do exist as far as response to supplementation is concerned. It has been suggested that the more highly trained athletes are less likely to benefit from it because their body's natural buffering systems are already so well developed, but so far this is just speculation. It has also been shown that sprinters build up more acidity within their muscles than endurance runners in response to the same exercise, and so may be more likely to benefit from the buffering effect. From the scientific research, it appears that the size of the dose is quite important, and that taking only 0.2 grms per kg is less likely to be beneficial than 0.3 grms per kg, although no evidence exists suggesting that an even greater dose is better still.

Side effects
As for the side-effects, these may take the form of pain, cramping, diarrhoea or a feeling of being bloated, the athlete who suffers must try to eliminate them. Drinking up to a litre of water with the dose is often effective and should be carried out as standard. Breaking up the bicarbonate dose into, say, four equal portions taken over the course of an hour may also help.

There are potential side effects to taking higher than normal levels of Sodium Bicarbonate so consult with your doctor first.

I'm pretty sure there's lactic acid in Powerbars.