[Popular myths vs. physiological realities: The rehabilitation of lactate].
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of physiological mechanisms without primary empirical data
PubMed 41524329 · doi:10.1051/jbio/2025010
What was done
This is a narrative review synthesizing the physiological roles of lactate in energy metabolism, cellular transport, and exercise-induced signaling pathways.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative data or numerical outcomes. It describes mechanisms whereby lactate regenerates cytosolic NAD+ during high-intensity exercise, undergoes inter-tissue shuttling via MCT4 and MCT1 transporters, contributes to intracellular pH regulation via proton co-transport, activates PGC-1α to modulate mitochondrial markers, and interacts with GPR81 to influence ERK1/2 and Akt-mTOR signaling pathways linked to hypertrophy, insulin sensitivity, and lipid regulation.
Why it matters
It contextualizes lactate as a functional metabolite and signaling mediator in exercise adaptation rather than an inert metabolic waste product.
Limits
The abstract contains no empirical human or animal experimental data, sample sizes, or systematic review methodology. The described downstream regulatory effects remain associative and mechanistic models that require further functional validation.
Cited by
- supports Lactate from vigorous exercise signals the activation of PGC-1alpha to promote mitochondrial biogenesis in muscle cells.