When too much acid builds up in blood plasma, a condition called metabolic acidosis results. Extraordinarily intense exercise can result in this condition, although it is rarely a problem for healthy individuals, who usually recover quickly. There are, however, many other medical conditions that can result in different types of acidosis. The symptoms of these can range from insignificant to life-threatening. It's important investigate and treat the underlying cause of acidosis when it occurs.
Risks
Metabolic acidosis is not a disease but a consequence of an underlying medical condition. Your chances of developing exercise-induced acidosis may be increased if you have an illness that is known to produce acidosis. Physicians at the University of Maryland Medical Center include uncontrolled diabetes, low blood sugar, alcohol, cancer, liver failthat are associated with metabolic acidosis.
According to Dr. Colin Tidy, writing for the Patient UK, "Lactic acidosis may occur as a consequence of vigorous or prolonged exercise but is usually of no consequence and self-correcting, unless other pathology such as hyperthermia is present."
Cause
To burn glucose for fuel in the absence of oxygen, muscle cells use an anaerobic as opposed to an aerobic metabolic pathway. Crucial by-products of this alternate biochemical pathway are protons, which are directly responsible for increasing acid levels in body fluids.
In rare instances, someone may exercise so long and with such effort that they cannot get enough oxygen to support the metabolic processes that normally provide sufficient energy to complete a workout or event. This is unlikely if you don't push yourself too hard and are in good health, because you will probably rest before you develop significant acidosis.
Subtype
A condition called lactic acidosis is usually the type of exercise-induced metabolic acidosis athletes experience, according to Patient UK. It is also possible, of course, that a person who develops exercise-induced metabolic acidosis could have one of many underlying illnesses or to be taking medications that could contribute to the development of acidosis. This is one reason it is important for you to have a physical examination before you begin an exercise program and if you become incapacitated while exercising.
Symptoms
Symptoms of metabolic acidosis can range from mild to life-threatening. You might experience rapid breathing, nausea, vomiting, fatigue or lethargy. Clinical tests for metabolic acidosis include analysis of arterial blood gas, measurement of electrolytes in blood serum and determination of the acidity of the urine, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Treatment
Treating metabolic acidosis means treating the underlying illness that caused it. If the primary cause is insufficient oxygen delivery, then rest and respiratory support, such as supplemental oxygen, is essential. This allows your body to readjust its metabolism and decrease the production of acid. If you develop metabolic acidosis solely as a result of excessive exercise, decreasing the intensity of your exercise regimen after you have been cleared by a physician is a common-sense approach to avoiding further problems.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Metabolic acidosis
- University of Connecticut: Acid Base Online Tutorial
- Patient UK: Lactic Acidosis
- "Journal of the American Society of Nephrology": Lactic Acidosis Update for Critical Care Clinicians
- Sports Medicine and Exercise Physiology: Adverse Effects of Lactate (Lactic Acidosis) Accumulation in Body Plasma
