The kinetics of recovery oxygen intake and blood lactic acid concentration measured to a baseline of mild steady work.

Abstract

The relationship between blood lactate, pyruvate and excess lactate removal and the excess oxygen consumed during the recovery from work on a stationary bicycle ergometer was studied intensively on two healthy male subjects. The results showed contrary to the recent work of Huckabee (1958) and the studies of Rowell et al. (1966) that a clear quantitative relationship exists between the area under the second portion of a double exponential Vo2, recovery curve and the O2 equivalents of LA: the association between the two variables being r = 0·93 which accounted for over 80% of the total variance of the two measurements. The findings fully support the earlier concept of Margaria et al. (1933) of separate ‘ alactic ’ and ‘ lactic ’ portions of the O2 debt and suggest that it is these components of the post exercise V˚o2, which must be used in the analysis and interpretation of the contribution of anaerobic processes during work.