Relation Between Lactic Acid Steady-State and Muscle Oxygenation in Elite Cyclists

2nd World Congress of Cycling Science, 2nd and 3rd July 2014, Leeds
BOOK OF ABSTRACTS
J Sci Cycling. Vol. 3(2), 29-31
Open Access
Relation between lactic acid steady-state and

muscle oxygenation in elite cyclists
M Mantovani
, M Bongi1 and A Bandera3
1, 2
Abstract
Background & Purpose. In cycling, several physiological values are taken into account to evaluate the performance
level of each athlete and/or to plan his training program. One of these values is the maximal power output
corresponding to the lactic acid steady-state. To find this power value, it is necessary to test the athlete by an
incremental protocol to collect all the physiological parameters necessary to program a subsequent square-wave
test, during which it is possible to measure directly this power output. This procedure takes a long time. Bellotti et al.
showed that the lactic acid steady-state may be determined by measuring the deoxygenated haemoglobin by NIRS
technique in healthy subjects (Bellotti et al., 2013: Med Sci Sports Exerc. 45(6): pp1208-16). We wanted to verify if it
is possible, in elite cyclists, to detect the power output corresponding to the lactic acid steady-state using the NIRS
technique during a single incremental test.
Methods. The experiment was carried on 15 male, elite cyclists participating in international U23 races: 212 years,
1.760.08 m, 66.16.9 kg (avgs, n=15). We used an incremental protocol on a stationary bike (Monark 818
-1
equipped with SRM system, Figure 1 left) consisting on five loads of 360 s each, starting from 0.85 w kg followed by
-1
-1
1w kg increment until the last load at 4.85 w kg . Total and oxygenated haemoglobin (tHb and HbO2) were
continuously measured in the vastus lateralis of the left quadriceps muscle by NIRS technique (Figure 1 right, NIMO,
NIROX, Brescia, Italy), and lactic acid concentration (AL) was measured by Accusport (Bishop, 2011: Sport Med, 22,
-1
pp525-530) at 180 s and the end of the last three loads defined as W low = 2.970.12 w kg , W medium =3.930.11 w kg
1
-1
and W high = 4.900.14 w kg (avgs, n=15). Pedalling cadence was 1.51.6 Hz. We calculated the time variation of
AL (
and the time rate of tHb and HbO2 (tHb/
by a linear interpolation of the NIRS data
2
during the time interval between 180 s and the end of Wlow, W medium and W high. Twelve participants completed the
entire protocol whereas three stopped between 300 and 320 s of W high.
Results and Discussion. Figure 2 shows a typical experimental record. The subject pedals against the incremental
load (continuous line) while muscular oxygenation (dotted line) and AL (point and continuous line) were measured
during the last three loads. During exercise at Wlow, all the participants showed an increase both of tHb (upper trace)
and HbO2 (intermediate trace) due to peripheral vasodilatation (Grassi et al. 1999: J Appl Physiol; 87, pp348-355).
The values of AL at 180 s of W low (3.10.8 mM; avgs, n=15) were always greater than AL at the end of W low and
seemed to be too high for elite athletes. This result may be due to early lactate production; at the end of W low, AL
decreased to a value compatible with the mechanical power at that moment (1.70.5 mM; avgs, n=15). During
exercise at W medium the participants reached the AL steady-state: there was no difference between AL measured at
-1
180 s and 360 s (2.30.6 vs 2.70.7 mM; avgs, n=15) and AL/t is 1.792.19 M s (avgs, n=15). NIRS
measurements showed that the muscle oxygenation was about constant: tHb/t and HbO2/t were -1
-1
0.00240.0081 M s and -0.00610.0124 M s respectively (avgs, n=15). Figure 3 shows AL/ttHb/t and
AL/t (continuous line) and
2/
Wmedium. According to Grassi (1999), during and
2
incremental exercise, the onset of lactic acid accumulation is related the beginning of the haemoglobin desaturation.
During exercise at W high
-1
-1
-1
12.768.11 M s (avgs, n=15) and tHb/t and HbO2/t were -0.00970.0165 Ms ; and -0.01500.0151 Ms
respectively; (avgs, n=15).
Figure 4 shows AL/t as a function of HbO2/t. The linear function through all the experimental data passed very
close to the axis origin, showing a strong relation between the AL steady-state and the HbO2 steady-state. This point
of coincidence is very near to W medium.
-1
Conclusion. We measured the AL steady-state at 3.75 w kg and the muscular oxygenation steady-state at 3.74 w
-1
kg . This suggest that it is possible to determine the power output corresponding to the AL steady-state during in
incremental protocol, only measuring the muscular oxygenation by NIRS technique.
2014 2nd World Congress of Cycling Science, 2nd and 3rd July 2014, Leedst; licensee JSC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the
terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and
reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
J Sci Cycling. Vol. 3(2), 29-31
Mantovani et al.
Figure 1 Experimental set-up. Left panel: modified Monark 818 modified. Handlebars, saddle and pedals are race bike type. The work load is settled
by the mechanical brake and measured by the SRM system. Right panel. The NIRS probe is firmly attached to the shaved thigh by Tensoplast and
covered by the race type short.
Figure 2. Experimental trace. The cyclist (19 years, 1.87 m, 74.8 kg) pedals against the incremental load (continuous line) while total and oxygenated
haemoglobin (tHb upper and HbO2 bottom dotted line) were continuously measured by the NIRS. The slope of the linear interpolation trough the NIRS
data gives the time rate of tHb and HbO2 variations during Wlow, Wmedium and Whigh. Point and continuous line are the lactic acid concentration.
time rate are plotted as a function of work load. Lines are drawn through all the experimental data (not shown). Error bars are s. (n=15).
Page 30
Mantovani (2014). Relation between lactic acid steady-state and muscle oxygenation in elite cyclists. Journal of Science and
Cycling, 3(2): 29-31
Figure 4. Lactic acid as function of oxygenated haemoglobin. The time rate of lactic acid concentration is plotted as a function of the
oxygenated haemoglobin time rate . Average value, error bars are s. (n=15). The line is through all the experimental data (not showed)
Contact email: (M Mantovani)

1
University of Insubria, Varese, Italy
Team Colombia, Adro, Italy
Nirox srl, Brescia, Italy
__________________________________________________
Received: 1 May 2014. Accepted: 1 June 2014.
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2nd World Congress of Cycling Science, 2nd and 3rd July 2014, Leeds

J Sci Cycling. Vol. 3(2), 29-31

Relation between lactic acid steady-state and

, M Bongi1 and A Bandera3

J Sci Cycling. Vol. 3(2), 29-31

Contact email: (M Mantovani)

University of Insubria, Varese, Italy

Team Colombia, Adro, Italy

Nirox srl, Brescia, Italy

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