How Yogurt and Lactic Acid Affect a Workout

Yogurt and lactic acid can have positive effects on your workout. Yogurt contains protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients needed to build and repair muscles. It also provides calories for energy before, during and after a workout. Lactic acid has its origin in glucose or sugar. Your body changes glucose into pyruvate, a type of ketone, and then converts pyruvate into lactate or lactic acid where it's used for energy. Your muscles make lactic acid during long, intense exercise sessions.

  1. Lactic Acid Basics

    • For more than 80 years, it was believed that muscle pain and poor performance after extreme exercise were due to a buildup of lactic acid, causing lactic acidosis or increased acid levels in the muscles. But, scientists now know that this is not the case. Stephen Roth's article in the January 2006 issue of "Scientific American" explained that lactic acid actually improves athletic performance by slowing acidosis. Muscles convert glycogen or stored sugar into lactic acid when there isn't enough oxygen to create energy. Lactic acid is then used as an energy source improving muscle endurance and performance

    Yogurt for Energy

    • Eating yogurt pre- or post-workout is helpful, as the carbohydrate or sugar is used for energy and for rebuilding glycogen or stored sugar. A low glycogen supply will cause unexpected tiredness and a loss of physical power. Your body will break down protein when there's not enough sugar or fat to use as energy. This process limits available protein needed to repair muscles damaged during training. Yogurt provides calcium and vitamin D that play important roles in bone, muscle and nerve function and are necessary for an effective workout. Vitamin D also helps your body fight viral and bacterial infections that will interfere with your workout.

    Muscle Creation

    • Milk is another source of whey protein.

      Eating a complete protein, like yogurt, triggers the creation of muscle. A complete protein includes all nine essential amino acids. The whey protein found in yogurt includes leucine, a branched chain amino acid, that tells your body to make new muscle. Leucine may also lessen muscle damage.

    Complete Protein

    • Leucine starts muscle building only when it's combined with the eight remaining essential amino acids. To receive maximum benefits from your workout, eat a combination of carbohydrate and protein like dairy products, poultry, meat, fish, eggs, soy and the grain quinoa. Grains and legumes, like beans and rice will also provide a complete protein.