|
| What
Is Lactic Acid? (Muscle
Scientology Certificate Course) |
| Lactic
acid is a strong naturally formed organic acid necessary for the
horses day-to-day good health. Although often assumed to be an unnecessary
by-product, lactic acid is actually an important energy source. |
| Lactic
acid is both necessary and beneficial to the horse, whose body
has been designed to continually flush lactic acid through its system. |
| Only in
harder working horses, or horses whom perform unrecognized and
unnatural irregular bursts of energy does
the excessive production of lactic acid create negative side effects, as
the horses body duly disposes of lactic acid within an
unrecognised and unregulated manner. |
| Lactic
acid will always remain a waste product to the horses muscles. It has not
been created to work or benefit the muscles; subsequently, the workings of
the affected muscles become compromised. |
| However,
in its correct source within the horses body, lactic acid works to provide
essential and important energy sources. Infact, lactic acid is quite capable of providing higher energy supplies than ‘pyruvate’.
(Ref: diploma course) |
| Where
Does Lactic Acid Come From? |
Lactic
acid is the end result of the energy producing process referred
to as 'Glycolysis'.
|
| When muscles experience strenuous exertion they
will use
oxygen supplies quicker than blood is able to supply. However, muscles still need fuel to continue their work. |
| 'Glycolysis'
will then ferment 'Pyruvate' to produce lactic acid; this process being the
first stage of the ‘Lactate Shuttle’. |
| Lactate
Shuttle (1st stage - lactic acid production) |
| Glycogen
= muscular fuel |
| >
Glycogen
breaks down into glucose > |
| >
Glucose
(stored in the muscles and liver) breaks down into pyruvate > |
| >
Pyruvate
enters the mitochondria within each muscle cell for oxidation in
order to produce more ATP > |
| >
Muscle
subsequently demand more oxygen > |
| >
Blood
supply cannot meet new oxygen demands > |
| >
Muscles
oxygen supply runs out > |
| >
ATP production
stops > |
| >
Pyruvate
then ferments > |
| >
Lactic acid is produced ! |
| Where
Does Lactic Acid Go? (second
stage - lactic acid removal) |
|
The
horse in either very light work or no work has no trouble removing it
natural levels lactic
acid through natural methods, a process referred to as 'Oxidation'.
|
| Oxidation
begins when the horse is working with a high respiratory rate, when high percentages of
lactic acid are converted into carbon
dioxide for exhalation. |
| After
the horse has finished work, his muscles will be housing excessive amounts of
lactic acid that must be removed, ensuring that the muscles maintain their
alkaline base and the blood maintains its ph level. |
| Lactic
acid is now diffused from each muscle cell to be transported to the
liver via protein membranes within the blood flow. |
|
Upon
reaching the liver, the lactate is re-converted back into glucose where it
will then either be stored as glucose for future energy requirements
or released back into the blood for
overall energy requirements such as those of the muscles, brain tissue
and respiration. This overall process is referred to as the 'Cori Cycle'.
|
| The
kidneys also play their part in removing excess levels of lactic acid
while also helping to maintain correct cellular blood ph levels. |
| Positive
Effects Of Lactic Acid |
| Natural
levels of lactic acid are utilised for overall
energy requirements including those of the heart, brain, muscles and body tissue. |
| Negative
Effects Of Lactic Acid |
| When
muscles are overloaded with excess levels of lactic acid, they will swell with water disrupting
the removal of lactic acid. |
| Blood flow to the
muscles is reduced. |
| Pain
is experienced. |
| Muscular contraction
is inhibited. |
| Cellular
level workings and reactions become inhibited
or even stop. |
| Muscle
fatigue occurs. |
| Ph
levels become negatively influenced promoting acidic blood levels. |
| Acidic
conditions develop within the muscle. |
| Relationship
Between Equine Massage Therapy, Muscles and Lactic Acid |
| Correct massage techniques, applications and routines
encourage blood flow, lower blood pressure, encourage lymphatic drainage, release
muscle tension, stress points and trigger points, subsequently releasing trapped lactic acid, toxins and other
negative
by-products into the blood stream so that they may be duly expelled from the horses body. |
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