Lactate testing is a commonly used tool by athletes and their coaches to gain better insight into their training. However, many people aren't entirely sure what the benefits of such a test can be. In this blog post, we'll try to explain this in more detail, as well as provide all the information you need to know if you're considering getting tested.

Enjoy reading!

Lactate: what is it and why do we measure it?

Lactate is a byproduct produced when we burn carbohydrates to create energy during exercise. We measure this lactate because it's easier to measure than carbohydrate combustion itself. We primarily want to gain better insight into when we see an increase in carbohydrate metabolism (=glycolysis). By clarifying glycolysis activity, we also gain insight into the other energy system, fat burning, which we primarily use during lower-intensity activities.

The interplay of these two systems is crucial during endurance exercise. This is because each system has its own strengths and weaknesses. The fat-burning system, on the one hand, is very interesting for long-term exercise. This is because fats store a great deal of energy in the body, allowing us to maintain an activity for a very long time. However, its weakness lies in the conversion capacity of fats into energy. This process, called the Krebs cycle, requires many intermediate steps to go from raw material (storage fats) to the final product (energy for muscles). During more intense activities, we will therefore not be able to generate energy quickly enough to supply our muscles with sufficient energy via the Krebs cycle.

This, then, is the advantage of carbohydrate combustion: The conversion of raw material to final product occurs without much effort. The weakness of this system is the fact that less energy is stored in carbohydrates, and they also have a limited storage capacity in our body. Therefore, if you want to exercise for a long and intensive period, it's best to manage your energy carefully to avoid hitting the wall before reaching the end of your workout. You can, however, support this storage reserve by consuming additional carbohydrates during exercise through (sports) food and sports drinks. Your stomach must be able to absorb this during exercise.

Finally: Lactate may initially be a byproduct of glycolysis, but our bodies are ecologically oriented and can recycle this product to be reused as energy through oxygen.

Lactate testing: the purpose of this test

By measuring lactate during exercise, we can determine when an athlete begins to work more intensively. Depending on your goals, we can then determine your main areas for improvement, as well as the best intensities (heart rate, speed, wattage) to train at to optimize these. Because every athlete and athletic goal have different needs that must be met.

We essentially want to see how your body responds during exercise. We will specifically map the following:

Determining how your energy systems function at certain intensities
Determining aerobic (maximum capacity of your Krebs cycle) and anaerobic threshold (the threshold at which carbohydrates are primarily burned)
Determining individual training zones (heart rate, speed, or wattage)
Determining short-term/long-term progression possibilities

How does a lactate test work?

A lactate test is a progressive exercise in which a blood sample is taken at predetermined intervals to calculate lactate levels. We try to perform the test as continuously as possible, so lactate measurement breaks are kept to a minimum; stopping is not even necessary during cycling.

We use a protocol of five-minute blocks at the same intensity before increasing the intensity. We aim for at least four measurement points to determine a lactate curve. We prefer to conduct the testing indoors on a treadmill or rollers (with your own bike). This allows us to control external factors such as wind and temperature as much as possible. The test takes between 20 and 45 minutes to avoid causing excessive fatigue.

For whom?

Lactate testing is primarily applicable to endurance sports such as running, cycling, and triathlons, but it certainly also has applications in sports like football, Hyrox, and CrossFit. Virtually any athlete with an endurance component can benefit from gaining insight into their fitness.

When is the best time to take a lactate test?

Are you a beginner athlete?

First, make sure you've been exercising for four to eight weeks. There's a significant increase in activity during the first few weeks, so the zone determinations won't be of much use to you initially. During these weeks, plan primarily for easy exercise.

A raining session is recommended to avoid overexerting your body and to build up injury-free.

Ideally, you can run nonstop for half an hour before testing is required.
For cycling, the test is less decisive, except for four to eight weeks of consistent training.

Do you already have some experience?

For most sports, a lactate test is performed in preparation to optimize training based on your goals. Sometimes a test can also be performed close to a race, but specifically to help you formulate a race plan: what pace will you run for a (half) marathon, what wattage/heart rate will you cycle at during climbs in a gran fondo, pacing a triathlon race, running intensity during a Hyrox race, etc.

How many times?

Once or twice a year is more than enough. If you're just starting your athletic career, there's still plenty of room for progression, and therefore more variability in your zones. The more years you've been exercising, the more stable your heart rate zones become. As you get older and become a more endurance-oriented athlete, these zones will gradually decrease. Of course, we do hope to increase your speed or wattage output somewhat, so the ratio of these parameters to your heart rate remains an important comparison we'll continue to make.

Have questions or are you planning an exercise test? Don't hesitate to contact our coaches!

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