Lactate and lactic acid, only one is produced by the body, yet these two terms are typical used interchangeably. So which one is produced by the body? It’s lactate!
Hydrogen ions are what make you sore after a workout – not lactate. Our bodies need a lot of energy to fuel muscle contraction, so we break down ATP (a high-energy compound that is used in cell processes, like muscle contraction), and a hydrogen ion is released in the process. Our bodies cannot keep up with the growing number of hydrogen ions produced during strenuous exercise, so the hydrogen ions pile up and make the surrounding environment acidic, which gives us that burning sensation in the muscle.
Our bodies rely on glucose for energy as exercise intensity increases, and one of the end products of glucose breakdown is pyruvate. Since our bodies don’t like this pyruvate molecule (or hydrogen ion levels accumulating for that matter), each pyruvate absorbs two hydrogen ions which forms… lactate! This is used as a buffer to minimize the acidic environment.
Then, it gets even more interesting. The lactate can be re-absorbed by the body to be converted into energy! Endurance training may be the best way to reduce lactate in the body and prevent more muscle soreness than you already have. Endurance training includes anything that increases your heart rate and breathing, like walking, jogging, swimming, or biking.
https://www.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/japplphysiol.00043.2013
