13/01/24
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Let’s discover the causes of muscle pain after training and the remedies for sore muscles
Always mistakenly considered the only cause of muscle pain after physical activity, lactic acid is a waste molecule that is actually very useful for our body. In this article we will talk specifically about lactic acid – useful remedies to eliminate it when too much is produced.
How many times, after the training session, have we felt our muscles sore and thought about lactic acid? In reality, only a very small part of these discomforts, and only in the short period after exercise, is caused by lactate. The muscle pain that is felt the day after doing physical activity is not attributable to lactic acid, but to the release of intracellular molecules, through microtears in the muscles, which create inflammation and pain.
The burning that accompanies us in the following 24 hours is, therefore, the consequence of the damage that the muscles have suffered to carry out their task, perhaps following a particularly intense workout or a high effort to which one is not accustomed, after a period of inactivity.
What is lactic acid
Lactic acid or lactate is a product waste from anaerobic glycolysis, i.e. energy production in the absence of oxygen. During sports performance, when the cell is not able to meet energy needs in the required time, lactic acid is produced. Lactate is therefore very useful as it produces energy extremely quickly, but at the same time its accumulation in the body tires the muscles and limits performance.
The lactic acid that is not reconverted into energy (glycogen) is disposed of by our body through the liver with the neoglucogenesis or Cori cycle. If production exceeds the ability to dispose of it, there is an accumulation of acidic molecules in the blood and tissues which, however, when the athlete is healthy and well hydrated, does not lead to anything other than fatigue muscular.
Reduce lactic acid-induced symptoms
For an athlete, muscle fatigue is equivalent to a decline in performance, which is why the ability to tolerate the presence of lactate in the muscles and eliminate it quickly are fundamental. There are different types of exercises designed to saturate the muscles with lactic acid to recondition the body’s response by accustoming it to discomfort and speeding up its elimination capacity, as well as massages and supplements useful for reducing symptoms and accelerating muscle repair:
- train aerobic capacity
- carry out muscle cool-down activities for between 15 and 20 minutes
- Insert active recovery, such as light running, between one training phase and another
- gradually increase the intensity of your workouts
- drink lots of water
- integrate magnesium and alkalizing products
Lactic acid useful remedies
Nutrition, as always, plays a fundamental role for athletes, also with regards to the disposal of lactate and the reduction of muscle discomfort. Alkalizing foods rich in mineral salts that counteract excess acidity are recommended, such as leafy vegetables, raw vegetables, fresh fruit and dried fruit, legumes, red beetroot, cereals and cocoa.
When nutrition is not sufficient, it is necessary to integrate, specifically:
- magnesium, a natural alkalizer essential for maintaining the membrane potential of nerves and muscles;
- bicarbonate and calcium carbonate capable of buffering blood acidification;
- carnosine whose buffering effect on muscle pH allows longer performances and faster recovery after performance.
Sprintade® alongside athletes to combat lactic acid
The line of Sprintade® products, making food technologies that were previously intended only for professionals available to everyone, allows you to assimilate active nutrients very quickly thanks to highly concentrated formulations.
To counteract the accumulation of lactate, Sprintade® offers two different solutions:
- ATP BOOSTER, a liquid supplement to be taken during training or competitions capable of providing immediate energy and useful for counteracting the accumulation of lactic acid in the blood;
- COMPLETE ENERGY, a fit preworkout liquid capable of bringing greater flow of oxygen to the muscles, potentially raising the anaerobic threshold.
