TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Tahiroglu, Ferdi
AU  -  Shahidi, Seyed Houtan
T1  -  The effectiveness of sprint athletes in removing lactate after reaching maximum effort
PY  -  2025
Y1  -  2025-01-01
DO  -  10.1728/4552.45511
JO  -  Medicina dello Sport
JA  -  Med Sport
VL  -  78
IS  -  1
SP  -  70
EP  -  78
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  1827-1863
Y2  -  2026/04/30
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1728/4552.45511
N2  -  Summary. Background. This investigation sought to investigate the time-dependent changes in blood lactate levels and oxygen intake (VO₂) after maximal sprint efforts in elite 100-m sprinters, with an emphasis on recovery rates and their relevance to performance tactics for sprinters. This research provides a comprehensive analysis of metabolic recovery patterns within this underrepresented athletic group through the application of a bi-exponential model. Methods. Twenty elite 100-meter sprinters underwent a graded exercise test and a 30-second Wingate Anaerobic Test as part of the methods. Measurements of blood lactate levels were taken at three specific points: at the start of exercise, immediately after exercise, and at various intervals of up to 20 minutes following exercise. Oxygen consumption was tracked in real-time throughout and following the GXT. Results. Typically, peak blood lactate levels of 14.9 ± 3.5 mmol/L were attained at 3 minutes following exercise. The rate at which lactate is cleared from the body occurs in two distinct stages. The first stage was a quick process (lasting around 60 seconds), and the second stage was much slower (taking approximately 300 seconds). The recovery of VO₂ also showed a bi-exponential pattern, with time constants associated with quick phosphocreatine resynthesis and prolonged oxidative recovery. Average peak VO₂ levels measured 45.4 ± 4.1 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹, which matches what is typically seen in trained athletes. A sophisticated modelling method uncovered detailed patterns of recovery for individual athletes, suggesting ways to fine-tune rest breaks and track fatigue levels during sprint training, which specifically involves post-exertion exhaustion. Conclusions. The research offers new findings on the rates of lactate removal and oxygen usage recovery in top-level sprinters by combining longer data collection periods and a two-stage mathematical analysis. These findings may suggest implementing more tailored recovery plans in sprint training and contribute to the increasing acknowledgment of VO₂ kinetics as an indicator of both performance and physical durability.
ER  -