The Chasqui Blog

A note about acidosis

Posted on Mar 3, 2012

Our friends at Acid Check share with us more about what acidosis means and how it affect us when we train in high altitude.

A growing body of research is starting to appear, defining the impact of sports or exercise induced acidosis (athletes building up excess acid in their blood, body fluids and muscle tissue from hard training and competition) on an athlete’s performance and recovery. When training and competing at altitudes above 3000 feet, it requires extra exertion due to lower levels of oxygen in the air and acid build up in the blood, body fluids is accelerated. This brings the body into the acidosis zone much faster, resulting in localized muscle fatigue and even local muscle SHUT DOWN. Here is an explanation of the acidosis mechanism and a comparison to hitting the wall or Bonking.

When localized acid levels gets too high in exercising muscles, it stops transport of both fuel and waste products transport into and out of the cells and the muscles can no longer generate significant power. You are now suffering from exercised induced acidosis. This condition is many times associated with severe muscle burn and power loss.

This is analogous to “Bonking” when a person runs out of available fuel (glucose-glycogen) for the brain and the nervous system shuts down all non-essential physical activities until fuel again becomes available. Here you have a total shut shutdown; not just the overworked muscles.

The following physical and mental conditions may to occur when sports or exercise induced acidosis occurs:

Burning sensation in the working muscles
Inflammation in joints and muscle tissue
Inability to hydrate
Retarded metabolism, slowing absorption or utilization of nutrients in the affected areas
Decline in respiratory exchange
Decline in mental alertness and physical coordination
Labored breathing and heavy legs

All the above changes in body functions become far more pronounced when working at high altitude. Read “Athletes and Acid” at www.acidcheck.com . ACID √ Check™ Caplets - Learn more when you include INCA promotional code.