San-Millán and Brooks showed blood lactate and fat oxidation move in opposite directions from pros to people with metabolic syndrome. This is the metabolic-flexibility paper behind a lot of zone-2 talk—not a prescription to buy a $20,000 bike.
Research
Moderate evidence
Lactate, fat oxidation, and metabolic flexibility (San-Millán 2018)
The zone-2 paper people actually mean.
Details
- Authors
- San-Millán I, Brooks GA
- Publication
- Sports Medicine
- Published
- 2018
- Abstract
- Fat oxidation was highest and lactate lowest in professional endurance athletes; the inverse lactate–fat-oxidation correlation held across athletes, moderately active people, and metabolic-syndrome patients.
- Key findings
- Lactate and fat oxidation were strongly inversely correlated (r about −0.76 overall), offering an indirect window on mitochondrial oxidative capacity.
- Methodology
- Cross-sectional exercise testing with indirect calorimetry and blood lactate across three fitness groups.
Editorial rating ★ 4.4
Train the engine that burns fat at a conversational pace. Lactate is the cheap proxy.
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