Lactate gel is becoming one of the most discussed ideas in advanced sports nutrition. The reason is clear: for years, lactate was seen as a product of fatigue, but modern physiology describes it as a central energy metabolite during exercise.
Today, we know that lactate participates in energy exchange between tissues, can be oxidized by muscle, heart, and brain, and is part of the theory known as the lactate shuttle. However, it is one thing for lactate produced by the body to play an important role, and quite another to prove that ingesting exogenous lactate in the form of a drink, supplement, or lactate gel improves performance.
In this article, we analyze the current scientific literature on oral lactate, performance, gastrointestinal tolerance, and types of lactate. We also provide our opinion on each study: what it contributes, its limitations, and whether it truly serves to justify the development of a lactate energy gel.
Because in sports nutrition, innovation should not be based solely on an attractive molecule. It must be based on evidence, context, and real-world application. A lactate gel can be a powerful idea, but only if formulated and communicated rigorously.
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What lactate is and why it matters before discussing a lactate gel
Before analyzing whether a lactate gel makes sense, it is useful to answer a basic question: what is lactate? Lactate is a molecule that forms naturally during glucose metabolism. During exercise, especially when intensity increases, the body produces more lactate because energy demand accelerates.
For a long time, lactate was thought to be merely a residue associated with fatigue. Today, that view is outdated. Lactate can act as an energy substrate, a metabolic precursor, and an exchange molecule between tissues.
Therefore, when we talk about lactate gel, we are not just talking about adding “lactic acid.” We are talking about exploring whether exogenous lactate can play a functional role within an advanced sports nutrition strategy.
What is exogenous lactate and why is it interesting in sports nutrition?
Exogenous lactate is lactate supplied from outside the body, usually through a drink, capsule, supplement, or lactate gel. It should not be confused with endogenous lactate, which is produced by the body during energy metabolism.
The scientific interest arises from a powerful idea: lactate is not simply “lactic acid” or a waste product to be eliminated. It is a molecule that can move between tissues and participate in energy production.
Brooks has advocated for decades the theory of the lactate shuttle, according to which lactate acts as an energy intermediary, metabolic precursor, and physiological signal during exercise.
From the perspective of a lactate gel, the hypothesis is attractive: combining carbohydrates with lactate could offer an energy matrix different from gels based solely on glucose, fructose, or maltodextrin. But to validate this idea, available human studies must be reviewed.
Lactate threshold: why this concept does not mean the same as taking lactate
The lactate threshold is a widely used concept in exercise physiology. It refers to the intensity at which the concentration of lactate in the blood begins to increase more sharply because production progressively exceeds the clearance capacity.
The lactate threshold is used to assess aerobic capacity, adjust training zones, and estimate sustainable intensity in sports such as cycling, running, triathlon, or trail running.
But it is important to clarify something: improving the lactate threshold is not the same as taking lactate. A lactate gel does not automatically raise the threshold or make the athlete more resistant. These are concepts related by lactate physiology, but they are not equivalent.
Therefore, a lactate gel must be explained carefully. It may be inspired by the role of lactate during exercise, but it should not promise direct changes in the lactate threshold if there are no specific studies demonstrating it.
Lactate increase: what it means during exercise
The increase in lactate during exercise is usually interpreted as a sign of higher metabolic intensity. As exertion increases, the muscle produces more lactate, and this can temporarily accumulate in the blood.
However, the increase in lactate should not automatically be understood as negative. It can also reflect that the body is mobilizing and transporting energy intensely.
The main causes of lactate increase during exercise are:
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Higher exercise intensity.
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Increased demand for rapid energy production.
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Lower relative clearance capacity at that moment.
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Accumulated fatigue.
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Demanding environmental conditions, such as heat or dehydration.
These causes of lactate increase explain why lactate is a useful variable for understanding exertion, but they do not alone justify that a lactate gel improves performance. For that, specific studies with exogenous lactate, controlled doses, and realistic sports protocols are needed.
Lactate cycle: how lactate moves between tissues
When we talk about the lactate cycle, we can refer popularly to the movement of lactate between tissues: the muscle produces it, the blood transports it, and other organs can use or transform it.
In this lactate cycle, lactate can be converted to pyruvate, enter oxidative pathways, or participate in glucose production in the liver. This idea connects with the concept of the lactate shuttle, which explains how lactate acts as an energy exchange molecule.
The interest in lactate gel arises precisely from this physiology: if lactate already participates in energy exchange during exercise, perhaps exogenous lactate can play a role within an advanced nutritional strategy. But again, physiology does not automatically equate to performance.
Quick summary of scientific evidence on exogenous lactate
The current evidence on exogenous lactate and performance is interesting, but still inconsistent. There are studies with positive results, neutral studies, and studies showing physiological changes without clear performance improvement.
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Some studies show improvements in high-intensity efforts to exhaustion.
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Other studies find no improvement in time trials or more realistic protocols.
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The most interesting dose appears to be around 120 mg/kg of body mass.
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Gastrointestinal tolerance is one of the biggest limitations.
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There is still no solid evidence to state that a lactate gel improves performance in recreational athletes.
Bryner et al., 1998: oral lactate in a drink and endurance performance
Materials and Methods
This study evaluated the effect of drinks with lactate, carbohydrates, lactate + carbohydrates, and placebo on performance. Variables such as total time to fatigue, peak power, glucose, insulin, pH, and bicarbonate were analyzed.
Study Conclusions
No significant differences were observed in time to fatigue or peak power between drinks. The authors concluded that performance was not affected by oral lactate supplementation.
Fanté's Opinion
For us, this study is important because it demonstrates that adding lactate to a drink does not guarantee performance improvement. It is useful work to set limits on commercial enthusiasm. However, it does not invalidate the concept of lactate gel or lactate drink, because the format, dose, timing, and matrix were different from what is being proposed today with modern gels.
Fanté's Conclusion: A valid study as a warning. A lactate gel needs to demonstrate tolerance, a useful dose, and real applicability before being presented as a performance tool.
Azevedo et al., 2007: lactate-polymer, oxidation and cycling
Materials and Methods
This study included 6 male cyclists of category 1 and 2. It compared a drink containing lactate-polymer, fructose, glucose, and glucose polymer against a sports drink with fructose and glucose. Exogenous substrate oxidation during cycling and the effect on performance were evaluated.
Study Conclusions
The study observed that labeled lactate could be oxidized during exercise and that the lactate-polymer drink allowed for the prolongation of the intense final phase of exertion compared to the control drink.
Fanté's Opinion
This work is one of the most interesting for the lactate gel hypothesis, because it suggests that ingested lactate can participate as a substrate during exercise. However, it has three clear limitations: a very small sample, a complex commercial product, and lactate combined with other carbohydrates.
This study is useful to support physiological plausibility, but insufficient to state that a lactate gel with 5g or 6g of lactate improves performance.
Van Montfoort et al., 2004: sodium lactate versus other buffers
Materials and Methods
This study compared bicarbonate, citrate, lactate, and chloride in competitive male runners. Participants performed a run-to-exhaustion test after ingesting the different substances in a double-blind, randomized, crossover design.
Study Conclusions
The objective was to compare the effect of different buffering agents on sprint running performance. Subsequent literature cites this study as one of the positive signs where pre-exercise lactate intake can prolong time to exhaustion in intense running.
Fanté's Opinion
This study is interesting because it places lactate within extracellular buffering strategies, alongside bicarbonate and citrate. However, the context is closer to intense, short exercise than to prolonged endurance nutrition. Furthermore, it does not study a lactate energy gel or a combined carbohydrate strategy.
Fanté's Conclusion: Valid for understanding the possible acid-base role of lactate, but limited for justifying the use of a lactate gel in long-distance sports.
Morris et al., 2011: 120 mg/kg lactate and improvement in intense cycling
Materials and Methods
This study included 11 trained cyclists, men and women. 120 mg/kg of body mass of lactate, placebo, or no treatment were administered. Participants performed a high-intensity cycling test to exhaustion 80 minutes after ingestion. Bicarbonate, pH, time to exhaustion, and total work were measured.
Study Conclusions
The authors concluded that consuming 120 mg/kg of lactate increased bicarbonate levels and improved performance in high-intensity cycling to exhaustion.
What the dose means
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60 kg: approximately 7.2 g.
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70 kg: approximately 8.4 g.
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80 kg: approximately 9.6 g.
Fanté's Opinion
This is probably the strongest human study to defend the interest of exogenous lactate. The dose is clear, the design is comparative, and the result is positive. But caution is needed: the test was to exhaustion, the sample was small, and it was not a time trial or a real competition.
We consider it a valid and relevant study, but not sufficient to promise that a lactate gel improves performance in any athlete.
Painelli et al., 2014: calcium lactate and repeated high-intensity exercise
Materials and Methods
This study evaluated two doses of calcium lactate on blood pH, bicarbonate, and performance in repeated high-intensity exercise. The objective was to check whether calcium lactate could act as a useful alkalizing strategy to improve performance.
Study Conclusions
Low and high doses of calcium lactate induced discrete increases in pH and bicarbonate, but these changes were not large enough to improve repeated high-intensity performance.
Fanté's Opinion
This study is very important because it demonstrates that changing a physiological variable does not guarantee improved performance. Calcium lactate may have technological interest for encapsulation, but we should not communicate it as ergogenic by itself.
We consider the study valid and cautious; useful for avoiding exaggerated claims about calcium lactate and lactate gel.
Northgraves et al., 2014: lactate in a 40 km time trial
Materials and Methods
The study compared sodium bicarbonate, lactate, combinations, and placebo in a 40 km cycling time trial. This type of test is more applicable than an exhaustion test because it is more similar to a real performance situation.
Study Conclusions
Lactate supplementation did not show a convincing improvement in performance in the 40 km time trial. The research pointed to possible effects on perceived exertion, but not to a clear improvement in final time.
Fanté's Opinion
For us, this study is very valuable because it is closer to a real competitive situation. If lactate improves a time-to-exhaustion test, but does not improve a time trial, the interpretation must be cautious.
The study is relevant and has high practical applicability. It reduces the strength of any direct claims about lactate gel and performance.
Bordoli et al., 2024: 120 mg/kg in prolonged cycling with intervals
Materials and Methods
This study investigated the effects of oral lactate supplementation on acid-base balance, gastrointestinal tolerance, and performance in a prolonged cycling protocol with interspersed intense efforts. The dose was 120 mg/kg, a dose similar to that in Morris's positive study.
Study Conclusions
Lactate did not improve performance, although it did modify acid-base markers and reduced subjective perceived exertion. Gastrointestinal effects were also observed. The authors concluded that alkalizing changes could reduce perceived exertion, but did not translate into performance improvement.
Fanté's Opinion
This study is key because it uses a high dose and a more modern protocol, oriented toward performance cycling. For us, it is one of the main reasons not to state that exogenous lactate is already a proven ergogenic aid.
Therefore, we consider the study to be very valid and current; it supports the idea that lactate can have a physiological effect, but it does not demonstrate that a lactate gel improves performance.
Ewell et al., 2024: commercial lactate supplement and 20-minute test
Materials and Methods
This pilot trial was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design. Fifteen physically active individuals participated, ingesting either a placebo or a commercial lactate supplement before exercise on a cycle ergometer.
Study Conclusions
The supplement did not acutely modify physiological responses to the incremental test but did produce a modest ergogenic effect during a short time trial.
Fanté's Opinion
This study is interesting because it analyzes a commercial supplement and not just a laboratory solution. However, it is a pilot study with a small sample and recreational population. The observed effect is promising but not enough to build a solid foundation.
Fanté's conclusion: It needs replication with more participants, different doses, and gel-type formats.
Pedersen et al., 2022: oral lactate, gastric emptying, and appetite
Materials and Methods
This study investigated whether oral lactate administration affected gastric emptying, gastrointestinal hormones, and appetite sensation in young men. It compared oral lactate with intravenous or controlled conditions to differentiate between direct gastrointestinal and systemic effects.
Study Conclusions
Oral lactate administration slowed gastric emptying, increased feelings of fullness, and reduced anticipated food intake. It also modified hormones such as GLP-1, insulin, glucagon, and ghrelin.
Fanté's Opinion
For us, this study is very important for formulation. In endurance sports, we are not looking for fullness or gastric delay; we are looking for tolerance, ease of intake, and repeatability.
This is a very valid study to warn that the challenge of a lactate gel is not just metabolic, but gastrointestinal.
McCarthy et al., 2024: oral sodium lactate and gastrointestinal effects
Materials and Methods
This study evaluated whether different oral sodium lactate intake protocols could increase blood lactate concentrations. It also recorded gastrointestinal tolerance.
Study Conclusions
Oral sodium lactate intake did not effectively increase blood lactate concentrations and was accompanied by moderate to severe gastrointestinal effects, including vomiting and diarrhea. The authors concluded that this strategy was not an effective method for studying the role of lactate in metabolism.
Fanté's Opinion
This study is a direct warning for any brand that wants to launch an energy gel with lactate. It is not enough to add free sodium lactate to a formula. If blood lactate does not rise and also causes digestive discomfort, the format is not resolved.
This is a very relevant study; it reinforces the need to work with encapsulated lactate, a mixture of salts, and gastrointestinal validation before communicating the benefits of a lactate gel.
What types of lactate exist for an energy gel with lactate
When we talk about lactate gel, there is not a single form of lactate. The choice of salt influences taste, minerals, solubility, stability, and tolerance.
Sodium Lactate
Sodium lactate is very soluble and easy to incorporate into liquid or semi-liquid matrices. In addition, it provides sodium, a relevant electrolyte in endurance sports. Its main problem is that, at high doses, it can provide too much sodium and generate a salty or mineral taste.
It can be useful as a free fraction, but it should not be the sole source of lactate in a lactate gel with 5 g of lactate.
Potassium Lactate
Potassium lactate is also soluble and can help distribute the mineral load. It makes sense combined with sodium lactate to balance electrolytes.
It is interesting in a mixture, but the total dose of potassium per serving and per hour must be controlled.
Calcium Lactate
Calcium lactate is usually presented in powder form. It has less saline impact than sodium lactate and can be interesting for developing an encapsulated lactate. Its limitation is its lower solubility and the possible risk of a gritty texture.
It is probably one of the most interesting options for encapsulating a portion of the lactate within a lactate gel.
Lactic Acid
Lactic acid can be used to adjust acidity or pH, but it does not seem to be the most appropriate way to provide 5 g of functional lactate in a gel. It can increase sensory acidity too much.
It can be useful as a technological tool, but not as the main base of a lactate gel.
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Encapsulated lactate: a possible way to make a lactate gel viable
One of the biggest challenges of a lactate gel is its taste. Free lactate can impart salty, mineral, or slightly fermented notes. Additionally, at high doses, it can influence the feeling of fullness or gastrointestinal tolerance.
Therefore, encapsulated lactate can be an interesting technological avenue. Encapsulation does not in itself prove that the product improves performance, but it can help make a lactate gel more viable from a sensory and digestive point of view.
A system with encapsulated lactate could help to:
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Reduce salty or mineral taste.
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Improve the integration of lactate into the gel.
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Partially separate lactate from the aqueous matrix.
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Better control release after ingestion.
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Facilitate a relevant dose without compromising taste as much.
For Fanté, a well-developed lactate gel would probably combine a fraction of free lactate and a fraction of encapsulated lactate, especially if a dose close to 5 g per serving is sought.
Summary table of scientific evidence on exogenous lactate
| Study | Format | Dose / Intervention | Result | Fanté's Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bryner et al., 1998 | Beverage | 2% lactate, CHO or combination | No performance improvement | Useful for caution |
| Azevedo et al., 2007 | Beverage with lactate-polymer | Lactate + glucose + fructose | Positive signal in oxidation and final intense phase | Plausibility, not definitive proof |
| Van Montfoort et al., 2004 | Buffering agent | Lactate vs. bicarbonate/citrate/chloride | Possible improvement in intense running | Interesting for acid-base |
| Morris et al., 2011 | Oral lactate | 120 mg/kg | Improvement in cycling to exhaustion | Key positive study |
| Painelli et al., 2014 | Calcium lactate | Low and high dose | Raises pH/HCO3-, no performance improvement | Very useful for not overstating |
| Northgraves et al., 2014 | Lactate in cycling | 40 km time trial | No clear improvement | High practical applicability |
| Bordoli et al., 2024 | Oral lactate | 120 mg/kg | Improved acid-base/RPE, no performance | Key for current caution |
| Ewell et al., 2024 | Commercial supplement | Acute supplementation | Modest effect in short TT | Promising, still pilot |
| McCarthy et al., 2024 | Oral sodium lactate | Various protocols | No increase in blood lactate; GI issues | Important formulation alert |
Scientific conclusion: is it valid to use exogenous lactate?
The short answer is: yes, it is a valid line of research and development. But it is not yet a consistently demonstrated ergogenic aid.
Lactate has a very solid physiological basis. The concept of the lactate shuttle, the ability of lactate to act as an energy substrate, and its role in exercise metabolism make exogenous lactate a very interesting idea.
But the applied evidence is mixed. Some studies show improvement, others do not. Some observe changes in bicarbonate, pH, or perceived exertion, but not in performance. And others warn of gastrointestinal problems.
Therefore, a lactate gel should not be communicated as a miraculous solution or a guaranteed improvement. It should be communicated as a physiologically plausible innovation, with preliminary evidence, but still under development.
Does a lactate gel make sense for non-professional athletes?
This is the most important question. For professional or highly trained athletes, an energy gel with lactate could make sense within an advanced, well-tested, and supervised strategy. But for non-professional individuals, the priority should not be to seek the newest molecule, but to build a strategy they can tolerate.
For a popular athlete, the primary focus remains:
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Consume enough carbohydrates per hour.
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Train the digestive system.
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Control hydration and sodium.
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Avoid trying new products in competition.
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Choose gels that can be taken repeatedly without discomfort.
So, would we use lactate in popular athletes?
For now, not as a primary strategy. A lactate gel could be an advanced tool for athletes who already tolerate gels well, control their carbohydrate intake, and want to try an innovation during long training sessions.
For a popular athlete, a lactate gel should always be tested during training, with a progressive dose, and paying attention to gastrointestinal tolerance.
Final conclusion
Lactate is one of the most interesting molecules in exercise metabolism. It no longer makes sense to talk about it as a mere waste product or as the enemy of performance. It is a central energy metabolite, with very powerful physiology and an attractive scientific basis.
But the leap from physiology to product is not automatic.
Current scientific evidence on exogenous lactate shows promising signals, especially with doses close to 120 mg/kg in some protocols, but also negative results and tolerance problems. Therefore, Fanté believes that lactate gel should be positioned as an advanced innovation, not a closed promise.
We are a nutrition brand, not a marketing agency. That's why we developed FANTÉ LAB to give a voice to the research projects we are developing and not create products that sell smoke.
For non-professional athletes, Fanté's recommendation would be clear:
Lactate can be an interesting tool, but it should not replace the basics: sufficient carbohydrates, hydration, gut training, and individual tolerance.
A lactate gel can open a new conversation in sports nutrition, but its real value will depend on the evidence, the formulation, and the athlete's ability to tolerate it in real conditions.
Innovation is not about adding a trendy molecule.
Innovation is about turning that molecule into a strategy that the athlete can take, tolerate, and repeat when they need it most.
