Watts Doc #36: How Power Meters Make Lactate Testing Nearly Obsolete

Empirical Cycling Podcast · Watts Doc #36: How Power Meters Make Lactate Testing Nearly Obsolete

Kolie makes his case that power meters are rendering lactate testing obsolete for most cyclists. After some background about lactate and why lactate testing was (and still is) historically crucial for science, we compare lactate test values in ramp and MLSS tests between individuals from an excellent but under-appreciated study. We also dig deep into more recent data, from the lactate test of a former world champion and Kolie's own surprising MLSS test, and the physiology explaining these results. We conclude with practical considerations about what threshold means, and why power meters are our best way to measure it.

Show Notes

Justification of the 4mmol/L lactate threshold
Lactate kinetics in human tissues at rest and during exercise (contains figure from episode cover art)
The maximal metabolic steady state: redefining the 'gold standard'
Alterations of the lactic acid content of the blood as a result of light exercise, and associated changes in the CO2 -combining power of the blood and in the alveolar CO2 pressure (Owles paper)
​Lactate kinetics and individual anaerobic threshold

Figure from cover art and above-linked paper: Lactate kinetics in human tissues at rest and during exercise"

World Champion lactate curve during step test with 3 minute step durations.