Lactate (Lactic Acid)

Lactate is mostly made in your muscles and red blood cells when they break down food for energy. Most of the time, your cells use oxygen to break down food for energy. But if your cells can't get enough oxygen, they can switch to another process for making energy that doesn't use oxygen. This backup process makes lactate. Your liver and kidneys turn the lactate into glucose (sugar) that your cells use for energy.

It's normal to have brief increases in lactate when you're exercising or doing other hard physical work. That's because your body uses more oxygen when you're physically active, which triggers your cells to make energy without oxygen. Usually, your lactate levels decrease quickly when you stop the activity.

But certain medical conditions can cause a harmful buildup of lactate. If lactate levels get too high, your blood becomes too acidic. This can lead to serious health problems and a life-threatening condition called lactic acidosis.

The results of a lactate test can only show whether you have abnormal levels of lactate. They can't tell what's causing the problem.

A high level of lactate in a blood sample usually means you have either hyperlactatemia or lactic acidosis.

Treatment for high levels of lactate depends on the condition that's causing the lactate to build up in your blood. Your provider will consider your symptoms, medical history, and the results of other tests to diagnose the cause.