Lactic Acid
Alternate Names : Lactate
DefinitionThis is a blood test that measures the amount of lactic acid.
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Why is the Test Performed?
This test is usually used to see if lactic acid accumulation is causing acidosis (acidotic body state) symptoms.
Lactic acid is an intermediate product of carbohydrate metabolism and is derived mainly from muscle cells and red blood cells. During exercise, lactate levels may increase. However, the liver can normally metabolize more lactate than is produced and can return lactate levels to normal within a few hours.
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