What Is Lactic Acidosis?
Lactic acid is a substance your body makes as your cells use glucose or other carbs for energy. This also leads to the formation of lactate. Your muscles make a lot of lactic acid, but any of your cells can make it.
When you exercise, work in the yard, or otherwise exert yourself, it can make the amount of lactic acid go up. Usually, this doesn't make you feel anything in particular. But if your lactic acid gets really high, you can get lactic acidosis.
Muscle ache, burning, rapid breathing, nausea, stomach pain — if you've experienced the unpleasant feeling of lactic acidosis, you likely remember it.
Health conditions and infections can lead to lactic acidosis. But you also can get it if you push yourself too hard in exercise or a sport. A normal increase in lactic acid caused by exercise is usually temporary. It fuels your muscles when they're working hard. It goes away when you stop.
But lactic acidosis is different. It happens when too much lactic acid builds up in your bloodstream and your body can't break it down fast enough. Your liver and kidneys usually get rid of lactic acid. When there's too much lactic acid building up too fast, the kidneys can't keep up, causing you to feel the symptoms of lactic acidosis. It also can do damage to your organs.
Lactic Acidosis Symptoms
The symptoms may include a burning feeling in your muscles, cramps, nausea, weakness, and exhaustion. It's your body's way to tell you to stop what you're doing.
The symptoms happen in the moment. The soreness you sometimes feel in your muscles a day or two after an intense workout isn't from lactic acidosis. It's your muscles recovering from the workout you gave them.
Early symptoms of lactic acidosis
Early signs of lactic acidosis include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Exhaustion
- Fatigue
- Breathing fast and more deeply
- Muscle cramps
- Body aches
Severe symptoms of lactic acidosis
As lactic acidosis gets worse, you may feel:
- Weaker
- Drowsy
- Confused or delirious
- Awkward or uncoordinated
Lactic Acidosis and Exercise Causes
The main reason you get lactic acidosis is that there isn't enough oxygen in your blood, muscles, or other organs.
While it's possible to get it from exercising too much or too hard, it happens more often from a health condition, such as a lung or heart condition, that deprives you of oxygen. It also can happen if a health condition, toxin, or medicine gets in the way of breaking down lactate. Some rare inherited conditions also can cause it.
Intense exercise. When you exercise, your body uses oxygen to break down glucose for energy. During intense exercise, there may not be enough oxygen available to complete the process, so a substance called lactate is made. Your body can convert this lactate to energy without using oxygen. But this lactate or lactic acid can build up in your bloodstream faster than you can burn it off. The point when lactic acid starts to build up is called the "lactate threshold."
Medical conditions.Some medical conditions can also bring on lactic acidosis, including:
- Lung disorders
- Circulatory problems
- Blood disorders
- Cancer
- Seizures
- Liver failure
- Vitamin B deficiency
- Sepsis (a whole-body inflammation caused by severe infection)
- Shock
Medications. Some drugs, including metformin, a drug used to treat diabetes, and all nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) drugs used to treat HIV and AIDS can cause lactic acidosis. If you are on any of these medications and have any symptoms of lactic acidosis, get medical help immediately.
How to Prevent Lactic Acidosis
Begin any exercise routine gradually. Pace yourself. Don't go from being a couch potato to trying to run a marathon in a week. Start with an aerobic exercise , such as running or fast walking. You can build up your pace and distance slowly. Increase the amount of exercise each week so your body builds up a tolerance. This will increase your "lactate threshold," making it less likely you'll get lactic acidosis.
Make sure you drink lots of water. It helps get rid of any excess acid. Eat a balanced diet , which includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats. Get plenty of sleep at night and give yourself time to recover between bouts of exercise. How long that is depends on how you feel.
If your lactic acidosis is caused by a disease or medication, talk to your doctor. You may be able to make changes that will help you avoid the problem. And talk to your doctor before starting a new exercise routine.
How to Manage Lactic Acidosis and Exercise
If you start to feel the symptoms of lactic acidosis while exercising, begin warming down right away.
After you warm down, rest before restarting your exercise, and make sure you get enough water.
Remember to listen to your body. If you feel burning and other symptoms of lactic acidosis while exercising, this is your body's way of saying stop. If your symptoms don't go away once you have stopped your workout, get medical help right away.
Takeaways
Lactic acid normally builds up in your muscles if you exercise hard. It's a normal way your body fuels your muscles when oxygen is in short supply. If you exert yourself too much, lactic acidosis could lead you to have symptoms, including nausea and vomiting. But lactic acidosis from exercise should go away on its own if you slow down or stop. If you have lactic acidosis due to another health problem that affects oxygen in your body or the ability to get rid of lactic acid or lactate, see your doctor for advice.
Lactic Acidosis and Exercise FAQs
How do you diagnose exercise-related lactic acidosis?
A doctor can run tests to see how much lactate is in your body. They also can test your blood pH to see how acidic it is. If you have lactic acidosis from exercise, it will usually go away on its own. You probably won't need a formal diagnosis unless your lactic acidosis may be related to a more serious health problem.
How do you treat lactic acidosis?
If you get lactic acidosis from exercising too hard, it should go away with rest and fluids. If it gets worse, you could need an IV, oxygen therapy, or other treatment. If your lactic acidosis with exercise is related to another health problem, you may need other treatments to address the underlying cause.
Can lactic acidosis be cured at home?
If you get lactic acidosis from exercise and don't have another health problem interfering with your oxygen levels or ability to break down lactate, then most likely yes. This will usually go away with rest and fluids. But if your symptoms don't go away or they get worse, see a doctor to find out what's causing it and the next steps.
