Blood lactate accumulation and clearance during typical training sessions in well-trained masters and young cyclists

This study compared blood lactate accumulation and clearance in masters (n = 10; age: 56 ± 5 years) and young (n = 8; age: 26 ± 3 years) cyclists during, and following, a continuous cycle (CON) and a high-intensity interval cycle session (HIT). CON was set at an intensity of 95% of ventilatory threshold 2 for one hour. HIT consisted of 6 x 30 second intervals at 175% peak power output with 4.5 minutes rest between intervals. Blood lactate was measured at regular intervals during each protocol and at 5-minute intervals throughout the 20-minute passive recovery period. No significant between-group differences were found for baseline, peak, or end of exercise blood lactate during either protocol (P > 0.05). Following both protocols, the masters cyclists exhibited a higher final blood lactate value (CON: d ± 90%CI = -0.97 ± 0.80, moderate; HIT: d = -0.70 ± 0.81, moderate) and a lower percent change (CON: d = -0.84 ± 0.87, moderate; HIT: d = -0.70 ± 0.85, moderate) during recovery. To mitigate any influence of masters athletes’ diminished blood lactate clearance, it is recommended that extra recovery time or active recovery strategies be used in masters athletes following exercise.