What the Lactate Shuttle Means for Sports Nutrition.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review and theoretical mechanism-based reasoning with no primary empirical data
PubMed 37432330 · doi:10.3390/nu15092178
What was done
This is a narrative, theoretical paper discussing the physiology of the lactate shuttle mechanism and outlining its conceptual applications for sports nutrition and carbohydrate supplementation strategies.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative experimental data or empirical measurements. It describes the physiological pathway whereby ingested carbohydrates are converted into lactate across multiple tissues to fuel skeletal muscle, the heart, brain, erythrocytes, and kidneys, and argues that direct lactate nutrient supplementation could accelerate somatic energy delivery.
Why it matters
The paper provides a mechanistic framework linking the lactate shuttle concept to potential sports nutrition strategies using lactate-based supplements rather than conventional carbohydrate sources.
Limits
This is a theoretical commentary containing no empirical experimental data, clinical testing, or specified sample size in the abstract. Claims regarding the practical efficacy, safety, optimal dosing, and athletic performance benefits of direct lactate supplementation are based entirely on mechanistic deduction rather than controlled human trials.
Cited by
- supports During exercise in men, infused or elevated blood lactate is metabolized preferentially over glucose by muscle, heart, and brain.