This article is currently being worked on. A more in-depth version will be released soon.
About Lactate Production
Sometimes your muscles need energy faster than they are supplied with oxygen. When there is a lack of oxygen (e.g. during exercise), glucose is metabolised into lactate instead of the usual pyruvate. The formation of lactate is an important process that allows our body to maintain energy production and therefore nutrition.
What if your lactate production levels are higher than normal?
Prolonged elevated levels of lactate may indicate an underlying medical condition, mostly linked to metabolic problems. It may signal that your body requires more oxygen than it’s provided with or can utilize, often in the case of diabetes, liver-, or kidney diseases, hear failure or poisoning.
Recommendations
See your doctor if you suspect a lactate production problem. If your healthcare provider rules out other potential conditions, you may be diagnosed with lactic acidosis, a higher-than-normal lactate production that is not linked to any other disease. Treatment options include bicarbonate supplements, IV fluids, oxygen, and sometimes, antibiotics.
Recommendations
See your doctor if you suspect a lactate production problem. If your healthcare provider rules out other potential conditions, you may be diagnosed with lactic acidosis, a higher-than-normal lactate production that is not linked to any other disease. Treatment options include bicarbonate supplements, IV fluids, oxygen, and sometimes, antibiotics.
