How to Decrease Lactic Acid Buildup

Whenever you exercise, your body begins to breath faster, to acquire more oxygen for your hardworking muscles. This method doesn't work for all exercises; sprinting and long distance running require more energy than this process can produce. So to compensate, the body creates lactate acid to help your body generate more energy. When too much lactic acid accumulates in your body however, it can result in slowed energy reactions, impaired muscle contractions and worse. To decrease lactic acid buildup and prevent the side effects associated with it -- sore muscles, fatigue and cramps -- you'll need to adjust the way in which you workout.

Instructions

• 1

  Combine high intensity, interval and over-distance training into your workout. These will initially increase the rate of lactic acid formation in your body, but they'll also improve your body's capability to properly utilize lactate as a fuel. More importantly, they'll increase your body's ability to deliver oxygen to your muscles and tissues, which means your body will eventually need less lactate to function.

• 2

  Supplement your diet with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients by eating foods such as almonds, artichokes, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green beans, lemons, lentils, lettuce, limes, olives, peas and other fruits and vegetables. These will help your body produce non-lactic acid energy and therefore decrease your lactic acid buildup. Also eat lots of carbohydrates like rice, bread and pasta.

• 3

  Keep working out. If you stop exercising for longer than a couple of days, your body's resistance to lactic acid will gradually begin to decline. Though it may seem counter intuitive, it's better to keep working out -- and working out hard -- so that your body becomes adjusted to high-intensity workouts.