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Effect of systemic pH on pH sub i and lactic acid generation in exhaustive forearm exercise

Journal Article · · American Journal of Physiology; (USA)
OSTI ID:6896308
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Basel (Switzerland) Univ. of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington (USA)

To investigate whether changes in systemic pH affect intracellular pH (pH{sub i}), energy-rich phosphates, and lactic acid generation in muscle, eight normal volunteers performed exhaustive forearm exercise with arterial blood flow occluded for 2 min on three occasions. Subjects ingested 4 mmol/kg NH{sub 4}Cl (acidosis; A) or NaHCO{sub 3} (alkalosis; B) or nothing (control; C) 3 h before the exercise. Muscle pH{sub i} and phosphocreatine (PCr) content were measured with {sup 31}P-nuclear magnetic resonance ({sup 31}P-NMR) spectroscopy during exercise and recovery. Lactate output during 0.5-7 min of recovery was calculated as deep venous-arterial concentration differences times forearm blood flow. Before exercise, blood pH and bicarbonate were lower in acidosis than alkalosis and intermediate in control. Lactic acid output during recovery was less with A than B and intermediate in C. PCr utilization and resynthesis were not affected by extracellular pH changes. pH{sub i} did not differ before exercise or at its end. Hence systemic acidosis inhibited and alkalosis stimulated lactic acid output. These findings suggest that systemic pH regulates cellular acid production, protecting muscle pH, at the expense of energy availability.

OSTI ID:
6896308
Journal Information:
American Journal of Physiology; (USA), Journal Name: American Journal of Physiology; (USA) Vol. 255:3; ISSN 0002-9513; ISSN AJPHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English