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🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance. Endurance, nutrition, training, recovery – each episode gives you science-based insights to understand, improve, and perform. Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team. 💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: lactatesports@gmail.com ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work:⁠ https://ko-fi.com/lactate⁠⁠⁠⁠

  1. Episode 42 : MARATHON PREP #2 How to Demolish "The Wall" Before You Even Start 🧱

    3 DAYS AGO

    Episode 42 : MARATHON PREP #2 How to Demolish "The Wall" Before You Even Start 🧱

    Episode 42 : MARATHON PREP #2 How to Demolish "The Wall" Before You Even Start 🧱 💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: lactatesports@gmail.com ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work: ko-fi.com/lactate Summary: The Wall is not a metaphor for fatigue; it is a quantifiable bioenergetic and neurological crisis where the body's safety mechanisms override your will. You face an inevitable thermodynamic deficit: a marathon requires roughly 2,950 kcal, but your body only stores around 2,000-2,200 kcal of glycogen. When your leg muscle glycogen drops below 70 mmol/kg, your engine shifts from fast carbohydrate oxidation to slower lipid oxidation, while your brain's Central Governor preemptively induces fatigue to prevent homeostatic failure. Your pacing and VO₂ max dictate this mathematical limit; exceeding your optimal speed burns fuel exponentially. To demolish this barrier, elites utilize gut training to absorb 90-120g of carbohydrates per hour using hydrogel technology, bypassing the traditional 60g/h intestinal limit to spare liver glycogen. As an amateur, you should target a safe zone of 30-60g/h to avoid gastrointestinal distress, coupled with a 36-48 hour supercompensation protocol of 10-12g/kg of carbohydrates. The physical reality of peripheral failure was starkly demonstrated in 2015 when Hyvon Ngetich physically crawled to the finish line after her glycogen hit absolute zero. Keywords: marathon, glycogen, central governor, hydrogel, carbohydrates, pacing, supercompensation, the wall 🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance. Key references : Bergström, J., & Hultman, E. (1967). A study of the glycogen metabolism during exercise in man. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation, 19(3), 218-228. Rapoport, B. I. (2010). Metabolic factors limiting performance in marathon runners. PLoS Computational Biology, 6(10), e1000960. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2958805/ Volek, J. S., Freidenreich, D. J., Saenz, C., et al. (2016). Metabolic characteristics of keto-adapted ultra-endurance runners. Metabolism, 65(3), 100-110. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283976781_Metabolic_characteristics_of_keto-adapted_ultra-endurance_runners Noakes, T. D. (1997). 1996 J.B. Wolffe Memorial Lecture. Challenging beliefs: ex Africa semper aliquid novi. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 29(5), 571-590. Sherman, W. M., Costill, D. L., Fink, W. J., & Miller, J. M. (1981). Effect of exercise-diet manipulation on muscle glycogen and its subsequent utilization during performance. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 2(2), 114-118. Viribay, A., Arribalzaga, S., Mielgo-Ayuso, J., et al. (2020). Effects of 120 g/h of Carbohydrates Intake during a Mountain Marathon on Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Elite Runners. Nutrients, 12(5), 1367. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7284742/ Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.

    12 min
  2. Episode 41 : Gut Check How to Avoid Race-Ruining Stomach Problems 🏃‍♂️

    6 DAYS AGO

    Episode 41 : Gut Check How to Avoid Race-Ruining Stomach Problems 🏃‍♂️

    Episode 41 : Gut Check How to Avoid Race-Ruining Stomach Problems 🏃‍♂️ 💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: lactatesports@gmail.com ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work: ko-fi.com/lactate Summary: For decades, endurance athletes have feared the sudden, catastrophic urge to defecate or vomit during competition, often blaming bad food when the reality is a predictable physiological failure. As you push toward your VO₂max, your sympathetic nervous system aggressively shunts up to 80% of blood flow away from the gut to prioritize skeletal muscles and skin cooling, causing profound splanchnic ischemia ; this energy crisis depletes ATP, dismantles cellular tight junctions, and allows endotoxins to breach the bloodstream, triggering a cytokine storm that forces your body to shut down. To survive this bottleneck, elite athletes "train the gut" starting 6-10 weeks before a race, beginning at 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour and ramping up by 10 grams weekly to hit 90 grams per hour; this method physically upregulates SGLT1 and GLUT5 transporters to prevent pooling. To further protect your system, strictly avoid hypertonic gels mixed with sugary sports drinks and ditch fermentable FODMAPs like wheat fructans 24-48 hours pre-race rather than blaming gluten. It is a brutal reality of the sport, immortalized when Paula Radcliffe bravely stopped by the roadside during her 2005 London Marathon victory, proving that gastrointestinal distress is a manageable crisis rather than a career-ender. Keywords: ischemia, gut training, carbohydrates, endotoxemia, fodmaps, transporters, dehydration, endurance 🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance. Key references : van Wijck, K., et al. (2012). Physiology and pathophysiology of splanchnic hypoperfusion and intestinal injury during exercise. American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/pdf/10.1152/ajpgi.00066.2012 Jeukendrup, A. E. (2017). Training the Gut for Athletes. Sports Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5371619/ Sullivan, S. N., & Wong, C. (1992). Runners' diarrhea. Different patterns and associated factors. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology. Lis, D., et al. (2019). Commercial Hype vs Reality: Gluten and the Athlete. Current Sports Medicine Reports. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6445805/ Costa, R. J. S., et al. (2017). Exercise-Associated Gastrointestinal Symptoms consensus statement. British Journal of Sports Medicine. Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.

    14 min
  3. Episode 40 : MARATHON PREP #1 The Ultimate Guide to Race Day Nutrition ⚡

    6 MAR

    Episode 40 : MARATHON PREP #1 The Ultimate Guide to Race Day Nutrition ⚡

    Episode 40 : MARATHON PREP #1 The Ultimate Guide to Race Day Nutrition ⚡ 💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: lactatesports@gmail.com ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work: ko-fi.com/lactate Summary: While early marathoners relied on brandy and strychnine, modern performance is defined by the strategic manipulation of bioavailability under physiological duress. At race intensities of 75-85% VO2max, you sit on a metabolic tipping point where endogenous glycogen stores (100 mmol/kg) become the limiting substrate, forcing the brain to downregulate motor output to prevent catastrophic fatigue ; the bottleneck is not gastric emptying but intestinal absorption, where SGLT1 transporters saturate at 60g/hour, though combining glucose with fructose (GLUT5) unlocks oxidation rates exceeding 100g/hour. To capitalize on this, implement a supercompensation protocol of 10-12g/kg carbohydrates for 36-48 hours pre-race to double muscle glycogen 4; on race day, aim for 90-120g/hour if elite with a trained gut, or 30-60g/hour if amateur, utilizing hydrogels to minimize GI distress during ischemia. While low-carb (LCHF) strategies may serve ultra-endurance, they impair high-intensity economy required for the marathon, proving that while you can run on fat, you cannot run your fastest marathon without glycolytic flux. Keywords: marathon, nutrition, glycogen, vo2max, hydrogel, glucose, fructose, hydration, gut training, performance 🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance. Key references : Bergström, J., & Hultman, E. (1966). Muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise: an enhancing factor localized to the muscle cells in man. Nature. Costill, D. L., Sparks, K., Gregor, R., & Turner, C. (1971). Muscle glycogen utilization during exhaustive running. Journal of Applied Physiology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5111852/ Jentjens, R., & Jeukendrup, A. E. (2004). Oxidation of combined ingestion of glucose and fructose during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology. https://journals.physiology.org/doi/10.1152/japplphysiol.00974.2003 Burke, L. M., et al. (2017). Low carbohydrate, high fat diet impairs exercise economy and performance in elite endurance athletes. Journal of Physiology. [Referencing general LCHF findings in report]. American College of Sports Medicine. (2007). Position Stand: Exercise and Fluid Replacement. https://www.khsaa.org/sportsmedicine/heat/exerciseandfluidreplacement.pdf Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.

    15 min
  4. Episode 39 : Carbon Plate Shoes Miracle or Marketing? The ULTIMATE Guide 👟

    3 MAR

    Episode 39 : Carbon Plate Shoes Miracle or Marketing? The ULTIMATE Guide 👟

    Episode 39 : Carbon Plate Shoes Miracle or Marketing? The ULTIMATE Guide 👟 💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: lactatesports@gmail.com ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work: ko-fi.com/lactate Summary: Marketing sells you a spring, but biomechanics reveals a lever. This episode dissects the "Super Shoe" paradigm where the high-stack PEBA foam acts as the engine returning 87% of energy, while the curved carbon plate provides the steering and stability that makes the foam usable; research validates a running economy improvement of 2.7% to 4.2%, but this is velocity-dependent, with benefits diminishing significantly below 14 km/h where the stiffness may become detrimental. We analyze the critical role of rocker geometry in offloading calf muscles and the "teeter-totter" effect, while cautioning against the new injury phenotype of navicular stress fractures caused by exclusive use; you will learn why "super trainers" might be better for daily miles, why the foam dies after 450 km, and how Fila pioneered this decades before Nike's Vaporfly changed the sport's history. Keywords: peba foam, carbon plate, running economy, biomechanics, marathon, nike vaporfly, injury prevention, navicular stress, super shoes, velocity threshold 🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance. Key references : Hoogkamer, W., Kipp, S., Frank, J. H., Farina, E. M., Luo, G., & Kram, R. (2018). A Comparison of the Energetic Cost of Running in Marathon Racing Shoes. Sports Medicine, 48(4), 1009-1019. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-017-0811-2 Joubert, D. P., & Jones, G. P. (2022). A Comparison of Running Economy Across Seven Carbon-Plated Racing Shoes. Footwear Science, 14(3). https://doi.org/10.1080/19424280.2022.2038691 Tenforde, A. S., Hoenig, T., Saxena, A., & Hollander, K. (2023). Bone Stress Injuries in Runners Using Carbon Fiber Plate Footwear. Sports Medicine, 53(8), 1499-1505. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01818-z Agresta, C., Giacomazzi, C., Harrast, M., & Zendler, J. (2022). Running Injury Paradigms and Their Influence on Footwear Design Features. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 4. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2022.8156755 Barnes, K. R., & Kilding, A. E. (2019). A Randomized Crossover Study Investigating the Running Economy of Highly-Trained Male and Female Distance Runners in Marathon Racing Shoes versus Track Spikes. Sports Medicine, 49(2), 331-342. Rodrigo-Carranza, V., et al. (2022). The effects of footwear midsole longitudinal bending stiffness on running economy and biomechanics. European Journal of Sport Science. Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.

    16 min
  5. Episode 38 [CODE #7] The Ketone HYPE Miracle Fuel or Marketing Gimmick? 🧪

    27 FEB

    Episode 38 [CODE #7] The Ketone HYPE Miracle Fuel or Marketing Gimmick? 🧪

    Episode 38 : Episode 38 [CODE #7] The Ketone HYPE Miracle Fuel or Marketing Gimmick? 🧪 💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: lactatesports@gmail.com ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work: ko-fi.com/lactate Summary: From a $10 million DARPA military project to the "jet fuel" of the professional peloton, exogenous ketones promise a dual-fuel state previously impossible in human evolution; achieving nutritional ketosis (>0.5 mM) while maintaining full glycogen stores. The physiology is rigorous but double-edged: while ketone esters increase thermodynamic efficiency (higher P/O ratio) and spare muscle glycogen by entering the Krebs Cycle directly as Acetyl-CoA, they simultaneously inhibit the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex (PDH), effectively braking glycolysis and capping high-intensity anaerobic power. For training, this dictates a strict protocol: avoid usage during criteriums, VO₂max intervals, or stochastic racing where sprint power is required; instead, utilize esters immediately post-exercise to upregulate mTOR and accelerate glycogen resynthesis, or reserve them for steady-state ultra-endurance efforts exceeding six hours where intensity remains sub-threshold. The nuance lies in the formulation hierarchy, as common salts often fail to reach therapeutic levels (>2 mM) and carry massive sodium loads, while the gold-standard monoesters risk severe gastrointestinal distress, famously rumored to have impacted Tom Dumoulin’s 2017 Giro d'Italia. Keywords: exogenous ketones, ketone esters, dual fuel, glycogen sparing, pdh inhibition, recovery, mtor, darpa, ultra-endurance, metabolic flexibility 🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance. Key references : Cox, P. J., et al. (2016). Nutritional Ketosis Alters Fuel Preference and Thereby Endurance Performance in Athletes. Cell Metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2016.07.010 Leckey, J. J., et al. (2017). Ketone Diester Ingestion Impairs Time-Trial Performance in Professional Cyclists. Frontiers in Physiology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00806 Poffé, C., et al. (2019). Exogenous Ketosis Impacts Training Overload and Recovery. American Journal of Physiology-Cell Physiology. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpcell.00098.2019 NIH. (2025). The Effect of Exogenous Ketone Bodies on Cognition: A Systematic Review. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12458514/ Veech, R. (2003). Development of Ketone Ester Diets. NIH Grant Z01-AA000112-01. https://grantome.com/grant/NIH/Z01-AA000112-01 Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.

    14 min
  6. Episode 37 : The "Second Brain": Is Your Gut Bacteria Deciding Your Finish Time? 🧠

    24 FEB

    Episode 37 : The "Second Brain": Is Your Gut Bacteria Deciding Your Finish Time? 🧠

    Episode 37 : The "Second Brain": Is Your Gut Bacteria Deciding Your Finish Time? 🧠 💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: lactatesports@gmail.com ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work: ko-fi.com/lactate Summary: Stop viewing your body as a solitary machine; science confirms you are a "holobiont," a vessel for trillions of microorganisms that dictate your metabolic efficiency and psychological drive. The physiological game-changer is Veillonella atypica, a bacteria that feasts on the lactate produced during maximal effort and converts it into propionate, a short-chain fatty acid that provides secondary fuel and boosts endurance by 13% in murine models. However, intense exercise causes splanchnic ischemia (blood flow 20%), leading to tight junction failure and "leaky gut," where toxic LPS floods the bloodstream and triggers systemic collapse. To harness your microbiome, manage the "FODMAP paradox": eat high-fiber diversity during training blocks, but switch to low-FODMAP foods 24–48 hours pre-race to minimize gas; simultaneously, practice "gut training" with high carb volumes to upregulate SGLT1 transporters. Be wary of antibiotics, which can slash voluntary training volume by 21% by disrupting dopamine signaling, and remember that the resilient "elite signature" found in rugby players vanishes weeks after training stops. Keywords: microbiome, veillonella, lactate, leaky gut, probiotics, holobiont, fodmap, endotoxemia, dopamine, ischemia 🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance. Key references : Scheiman, A. B., et al. (2019). Meta-omics analysis of elite athletes identifies a performance-enhancing microbe that functions via lactate metabolism. Nature Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31235964/ Clarke, S. F., et al. (2014). Exercise and associated dietary extremes impact on gut microbial diversity. Gut. https://gut.bmj.com/content/63/12/1913 Brock-Utne, J. G., et al. (1988). Endotoxaemia in exhausted runners after a long-distance race. South African Medical Journal. https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA20785135_9151 Mach, N., & Fuster-Botella, D. (2017). Endurance exercise and gut microbiota: A review. Journal of Sport and Health Science. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6188999/ Roussos, G., et al. (2025). Gastrointestinal function and microbiota in endurance athletes. Frontiers in Physiology. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2025.1551284/full O’Sullivan, et al. (2022). Oral antibiotics reduce voluntary exercise behavior in athletic mice. Behavioural Processes. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9725099/ Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.

    15 min
  7. Episode 36 : Gels, Bars & Powders Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Fuel ⛽

    20 FEB

    Episode 36 : Gels, Bars & Powders Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Fuel ⛽

    Episode 36 : Gels, Bars & Powders Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Fuel ⛽ 💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: lactatesports@gmail.com ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work: ko-fi.com/lactate Summary: From the strychnine cocktails of 1904 to the hydrogel technology fueling modern sub-2-hour marathons, sports nutrition has evolved from dangerous folklore to precise molecular engineering designed to bypass physiological bottlenecks. The primary limiter in endurance efforts exceeding 90 minutes is glycogen depletion, yet the body’s SGLT1 intestinal transporter saturates at a "speed limit" of roughly 60g/h; exceeding this with single-source carbs leads to GI distress rather than performance gains. To unlock higher oxidation rates, elite protocols utilize multiple transportable carbohydrates—specifically a Glucose:Fructose ratio (classically 2:1, now optimizing toward 1:0.8)—to engage the independent GLUT5 transporter, allowing intake of 90-120g/h and oxidation rates up to 1.75g/min. While elites spend 6-10 weeks "training the gut" to tolerate these volumes, you should aim for a safe baseline of 60g/h using isotonic gels or drink mixes every 20 minutes, avoiding solids during high-intensity efforts (>75% VO₂max) where gastric emptying slows significantly. Always chase hypertonic gels with water to prevent the duodenal brake from trapping fluid in your gut, a critical mistake that leads to dehydration and bloating. Keywords: sports nutrition, glycogen depletion, sglt1 transporter, hydrogel, glucose fructose ratio, gastric emptying, endurance fueling, bonking, gut training, isotonic. 🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance. Key references : Coyle, E. F., Coggan, A. R., Hemmert, M. K., & Ivy, J. L. (1986). Muscle glycogen utilization during prolonged strenuous exercise when fed carbohydrate. Journal of Applied Physiology, 61(1), 165-172. Jentjens, R. L., et al. (2004). Oxidation of combined ingestion of glucose and fructose during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96(4), 1277-1284. Jeukendrup, A. E. (2004). Carbohydrate intake during exercise and performance. Nutrition, 20(7-8), 669-677. King, A., et al. (2020). Carbohydrate Hydrogel Products Do Not Improve Performance or Gastrointestinal Distress During Moderate-Intensity Endurance Exercise. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 30(5), 305-314. Rowe, J. T., et al. (2022). Graphite-hydrogel ingestion improves 5-km running performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). (2016). Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(3), 543-568. Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.

    14 min
  8. Episode 35 : Is Your WATCH Lying To You? The Truth About HRV ⌚

    17 FEB

    Episode 35 : Is Your WATCH Lying To You? The Truth About HRV ⌚

    Episode 35 : Is Your WATCH Lying To You? The Truth About HRV ⌚ 💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: lactatesports@gmail.com ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work: ko-fi.com/lactate Summary: Your recovery score says you’re wrecked, but you feel ready to crush a PR—discover why your wearable might be gaslighting your physiology. Heart rate variability (HRV) is not about stability, but chaos; a healthy heart acts as a fractal mirror of the environment, balancing the slow sympathetic "gas" against the rapid parasympathetic "brake" of the vagus nerve. While photoplethysmography sensors in devices like Whoop or Oura match gold-standard ECGs with correlations over 0.99, the "lie" hides in proprietary black-box algorithms that penalize sleep stages or activity balances regardless of your actual autonomic status (RMSSD). High HRV signals robust neurovisceral integration where the prefrontal cortex inhibits the amygdala, whereas low HRV predicts rigidity and mortality. Stop chasing gamified "readiness" scores and use the Plews & Seiler decision tree on raw data: establish a 7-day rolling average baseline with a smallest worthwhile change range. If your HRV is within range, train hard; if significantly low, stick to Zone 1/2 recovery; if remarkably high, beware of parasympathetic hyperactivity signaling impending illness. For elite athletes with low resting heart rates (50 bpm), switch to morning orthostatic readings to avoid parasympathetic saturation and unmask fatigue. Beware of orthosomnia, where the anxiety of tracking degrades sleep, and remember the blue whale: its heart drops to 2 bpm to survive depth, proving that extreme variability is the ultimate adaptation strategy. Keywords: hrv, rmssd, autonomic nervous system, vagus nerve, recovery, orthosomnia, whoop, oura, plews, seiler 🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance. Key references : Dial, M. B., et al. (2025). Validation of nocturnal resting heart rate and heart rate variability in consumer wearables. Physiological Reports. Miller, D. J., et al. (2022). Validation of the WHOOP 3.0 for the assessment of heart rate variability. Sensors. Thayer, J. F., & Lane, R. D. (2000). A model of neurovisceral integration in emotion regulation and dysregulation. Journal of Affective Disorders. Plews, D. J., et al. (2013). Heart rate variability in elite triathletes, is variation good? European Journal of Sport Science. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology. (1996). Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Circulation. Kromenacker, B. W., et al. (2022). Root mean square of successive differences is not a valid measure of parasympathetic reactivity during slow deep breathing. American Journal of Physiology. Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.

    15 min
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🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance. Endurance, nutrition, training, recovery – each episode gives you science-based insights to understand, improve, and perform. Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team. 💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: lactatesports@gmail.com ☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work:⁠ https://ko-fi.com/lactate⁠⁠⁠⁠

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  • Creator
    LACTATE
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    42
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    © LACTATE
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