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Sports/Performance Nutrition (Poster Session)

(P29-014-25) The Impact of Oral Lactic Acid Administration on the Performance of Male Judo Athletes During a Single Session of Exhaustive Exercise

Monday, June 2, 2025
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM ET
Location: Poster Board B-23

    Presenting Author(s)

  • ZZ

    Zhiguang Zhao, professor

    Center for Sports Nutrition, National Institute of Sports Medicine National Test & Research Center for Sports Nutrition
    Beijing, Beijing, China (People's Republic)

    • Co-Author(s)

  • QW

    Qirong Wang, PhD (he/him/his)

    Director of Key Lab of Sports Nutrition, General Administration of Sport of China
    National Institute of Sports Medicine
    Beijing, Beijing, China (People's Republic)

Disclosure(s):
Qirong Wang, PhD: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.


Objectives: To investigate whether oral lactic acid supplements can improve athletic performance in athletes.

Methods: 10 male judo elite athletes (age,16.60±1.51years, height, 174.30±5.5cm, body mass, 67.17±6.09 kg) were selected and randomly divided into 3 groups, with each group receiving oral 0.75% lactate plus 6% glucose solution (L), 6% glucose solution (GL), or a placebo (PL). All subjects were instructed to perform a single session of cycling exercise (90% VO2max) until fatigue. Time to exhaustion (TTE), blood glucose (Glu), and carbonate ion (HCO3-) were measured during the exercise. Blood samples were collected at the following time points: before supplementation (T0), 60 minutes after supplementation (T1), 2 minutes after starting cycling (T2), 4 minutes after starting cycling (T3), 6 minutes, 8 minutes, and immediately after exercise.

Results: TTE was significantly longer in the L group, by 18.12% compared to the GL group and 25.26% compared to the Pl group (p < .05), yet no significance was found between GL and PL groups. Glu was found significantly reduced in PL group (21.96% at T2 and 17.97% at T3). In the L group, Glu was decreased by 21.72% at T2 but not statistically significant, and the significantly decreased by 24.05% at T3. HCO3- level was not statistically different among the 3 groups in this research.

Conclusions: Oral lactic acid supplements can spar glucose usage, extend the time of exhaustion among athletes, and may be beneficial for performance improvement.

Funding Sources: Beijing Sports Bureau 2023 Key laboratory project