Lactate sampling/RER/Indirect calorimetry Flashcards
What is lactate sampling?
A process where blood samples are taken in order to measure the level of lactate in the blood.
What does a blood lactate reading tell us?
- The intensity the athlete is working at -> it is more accurate than measuring heart rate
What is lactate sample used for?
- Ensure training is at the right intensity
- Monitor training programmes
- Measure an athletes OBLA
Why is ensuring that a performer is working at the right intensity important?
- Too much training or above your lactate threshold can lead to overtraining
- Training too far below will lead to a training plateau (no improvement)
What is Respiratory Exchange Ratio?
The ratio between the amount of oxygen used by the body and carbon dioxide produced.
What is RER expressed as?
A value between 0.7 and 1.1
What does a higher RER value indicate?
That more CO2 is being exhaled and the performer is working anaerobically - due to O2 demand not meeting O2 supply.
What does an RER reading tell us?
Determines which energy source is being oxidized - which is called the respiratory quotient.
What is the Respiratory Quotient?
An indicator of which fuel (carbohydrates or triglyercides) is being metabolised to supply the body with energy.
What does an RER value of 0.7 indicate?
The predominant energy source is fats (working aerobically)
What does an RER value of 0.85 indicate?
A mix of carbohydrates and fats as the main energy source
What does an RER value of 1.0 indicate?
That carbohydrates is the sole source of fuel -> mainly anaerobic.
What does an RER value of >1.0 indicate?
Anaerobic respiration
What is RER used to determine?
The intensity of exercise
What is indirect calorimetry
It is a method used to determine the intensity that a performer is working at - instead at a cellular level.
