Pritchett, R. C., Green, M., & Kerr, K. (2007). Lactate response in anaerobic and aerobic athletes and sedentary individuals. ACSM Annual Meeting New Orleans, Presentation Number, 1605.

The lactate thresholds of anaerobically and aerobically trained and sedentary individuals were studied. Ss were sedentary (N = 5) with little or no regular activity; anaerobic university athletes (N =11) in anaerobic sports, such as football, weight lifting, and sprinting; and aerobic (N = 10) distance runners or Ss engaging in regular aerobic exercise with a VO2max of >50 ml/kg for females, and >60 ml/kg for males. Ss completed a graded treadmill test to exhaustion with capillary blood analyzed for lactate at the end of each stage.

VO2max was significantly greater for aerobically trained Ss than anaerobically trained or sedentary Ss [a criterion of group formation]. There was no VO2max difference between anaerobically trained and sedentary Ss. VO2 at 2.5 mmol/l was significantly greater for aerobically trained Ss than anaerobically trained or sedentary Ss, with anaerobically trained Ss being significantly greater than sedentary Ss. Percent VO2max at 2.5 mmol/l was significantly lower for sedentary Ss than aerobically and anaerobically trained Ss with no significant difference between the latter two groups. VO2 at 4 mmol/l was significantly different among all groups (aerobically trained greater than anaerobically trained greater than sedentary Ss). Percent VO2max at 4 mmol/l was significantly lower for sedentary Ss than aerobically and anaerobically trained Ss, with no significant difference between the latter two groups.

Implication. In accordance with training specificity, modest elevations in VO2max with relatively high lactate thresholds for anaerobically trained individuals may be attributable to a marginal stimulus to aerobic metabolic pathways but repeated exposure to high lactates. [Since aerobic functioning occurs at all training intensities, high-intensity anaerobic training would still stimulate some aerobic adaptation. This study verifies that factor.]

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