Blood lactate disappearance after supramaximal one-legged exercise

Abstract

Ten male subjects performed supramaximal 1-min cycling exercise with the right leg followed immediately by 6 separate 24-min recovery treatments. Three 1-legged recovery treatments were performed at 50 W and represented approximately 40% of 1-legged maximal O2 consumption (.ovrhdot.VO2 max) The 3 recovery treatments involved pedaling with the right leg (RL), pedaling with the right leg while the subjects breathed 100% O2 (RLO2), and pedaling with the left leg (LL). A 2-legged (2L) recovery was also performed at 50 W and represented approximately 30% of 2-legged .ovrhdot.VO2 max. A right-legged recovery at 25 W (RL25) (30% of 1-legged .ovrhdot.VO2 max) and a resting control (C) recovery were also performed. Each recovery treatment was performed separately (as well as after supramaximal exercise) to determine base-line blood lactate production. Treatments were ranked as follows with respect to degree of lactate disappearance during the 24-min recovery period: 2L, RL25, RLO2, C, LL and RL. Treatment 2L did not differ significantly from RL25. Treatments 2L and RL25 differed significantly from C, LL and RL. There were no significant differences among treatments C, LL and RL. Treatment RLO2 was not significantly different from any other treatment. Lactate disappearance was inversely related to the degree of base-line blood lactate accumulation and closely related to percentage of .ovrhdot.VO2 max imposed during recovery. O2 breathing (100%) and exercising fatigued vs. nonfatigued muscles were not influential factors during recovery.