How Acid Buffers in Sports Supplements Reduce Lactic Acid

align="center">The lungs and kidneys work together to maintain
World-class endurance athletes and their trainersa pH of 7.4 in blood by altering the components
are constantly seeking new ways to improveof naturally occurring buffers. If the
performance and endurance without running afoulblood’s pH becomes too acid or alkali
of the organizations that monitor their sport orwith pH’s as low as 7.0 or as high as 7.8,
sacrificing their health. At such an elite level,the body’s buffers can no longer
improvements measured by fractions of acompensate for the extreme conditions and
second can be quite significant so triathletes andsystems begin to fail one after the other. There
other types of endurance athletes examine everyare four major buffering systems in the human
aspect of diet, training, sleep patterns and otherbody:
factors to gain a competitive edge. Thanks toBiocarbonate buffers found in the blood’s
innovative research on how our bodiesplasma correct the equilibrium shift that occurs
manufacture lactic acid and process it, endurancewhen a surplus of lactic acid in muscle tissue
athletes and their trainers now have a muchcreates an abundance of excess hydrogen ions.
better understanding of how to prepare for eliteHemoglobin in red blood cells acts as a buffer to
competitions.byproducts and other threats to the pH balance in
Best of all, their decisions are based on hardblood. For instance, when glucose is broken down
scientific evidence instead of anecdotal evidenceinto fuel by muscle cells and converted to lactic
and supposition. Over the last several years,acid, the byproducts created are carbon dioxide
several sports supplements have been developedand excess hydrogen ions.
to help prevent lactic acid buildup in muscle tissuePhosphate buffers are essential for buffering the
during intense exercise by including compoundspH of fluid in cells and are especially important for
that act as lactic acid buffers. This overview ofbuffering urine in the kidneys.
how lactic acid buffers help reduce lactic acidProtein buffers also buffer the effects of excess
buildup from impairing performance and endurancehydrogen ions created when glucose converts in
during intense workouts has been demonstratedlactic acid. Protein buffers primarily buffer the pH
in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossoverof fluid inside cells.
study.Lactic Acid Buffers such as Magnesium and
How Lactic Acid is Produced and Processed byPotassium
the Human BodyMany sports supplements include magnesium and
When the muscle cells in an endurancepotassium in their formulas because these two
athlete’s body need fuel, they convertsubstances, along with a lesser amount of sodium,
glycogen or glucose into lactic acid. Next, eachhelp regulate fluids in cells, especially muscle cells,
muscle cell’s mitochondria, the powerand help equalize or buffer the blood’s
plant of a cell, burns lactic acid for fuel. SpecificpH. Potassium levels maintained in a ratio of 5:1 to
types of proteins called “transportersodium help regulate water retention in our bodies
proteins” expedite the delivery of lacticand prevent too much potassium from voiding as
acid, also called lactate, to each cell’swaste in urine. Potassium protects against kidney
mitochondria through a network of tiny tubesdamage, strokes and high blood pressure.
throughout the cell. Through proper training, anOnly within the last two decades has
endurance athlete like a triathlete can graduallymagnesium’s importance in maintaining
improve the rate at which lactic acid is burned forproper pH and overall health been understood.
fuel in their body so it doesn’tResearch has found that magnesium is essential
accumulate in their muscle tissue and impairfor facilitating the storage of potassium in our
performance, endurance, and cause them tobodies. Without magnesium, the human body
“hit the wall.”cannot store potassium. When triathletes and
How Lactic Acid Buffers Workother endurance athletes take sports supplements
Buffers are substances that help prevent anythat contain recommended dosages of potassium
solution, such as blood or the fluid in muscle tissue,and magnesium, the amount of sodium removed
from undergoing a change in pH when introducingfrom the body increases, as does the amount of
an acid, such as lactic acid, or alkali. In order toexcess fluids. These minerals are not only
illustrate how lactic acid buffers work and help anessential to proper health and balance, they also
endurance athlete stay competitive, it is helpful tofacilitate the body’s ability to buffer and
have a basic understanding of the physiology andquickly process the lactic acid created during
biochemistry of the human body.strenuous exercise.