The DOI matches its Crossref record; 45 of the 45 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Blood lactate is an important energy source for the human brain.
Open accessAbstract
Lactate is a potential energy source for the brain. The aim of this study was to establish whether systemic lactate is a brain energy source. We measured in vivo cerebral lactate kinetics and oxidation rates in 6 healthy individuals at rest with and without 90 mins of intravenous lactate infusion (36 μmol per kg bw per min), and during 30mins of cycling exercise at 75% of maximal oxygen uptake while the lactate infusion continued to establish arterial lactate concentrations of 0.89 ± 0.08, 3.9 ± 0.3, and 6.9 ± 1.3 mmol/L, respectively. At rest, cerebral lactate utilization changed from a net lactate release of 0.06 ± 0.01 to an uptake of 0.16 ± 0.07 mmol/min during lactate infusion, with a concomitant decrease in the net glucose uptake. During exercise, the net cerebral lactate uptake was further increased to 0.28 ± 0.16 mmol/min. Most 13 C-label from cerebral [1- 13 C]lactate uptake was released as 13 CO 2 with 100% ± 24%, 86% ± 15%, and 87% ± 30% at rest with and without lactate infusion and during exercise, respectively. The contribution of systemic lactate to cerebral energy expenditure was 8% ± 2%, 19% ± 4%, and 27% ± 4% for the respective conditions. In conclusion, systemic lactate is taken up and oxidized by the human brain and is an important substrate for the brain both under basal and hyperlactatemic conditions.
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“Most lactate disposal occurs via oxidation in working skeletal muscle during prolonged endurance exercise, but other tissues such as the brain, liver and kidneys are also involved in lactate turnover [121,122,123].”
From Regulation of Energy Substrate Metabolism in Endurance Exercise (2021) · cites this paper as [123]
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“peripheral blood lactate (e.g., from muscles) can cross the blood–brain barrier and provides energy to the brain”
From Dose-Response Matters! - A Perspective on the Exercise Prescription in Exercise-Cognition Research (2019) · cites this paper as van Hall et al., 2009
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Metadata
- Authors
- van Hall, G., Stømstad, M., Rasmussen, P., Jans, Ø., Zaar, M., Gam, C., Quistorff, B., Secher, N. H., & Nielsen, H. B.
- Affiliations
- Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- University of Copenhagen (DK)
- Venue
- Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2009-04-01
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1121-1129
- ISSN
- 0271-678X (ISSN-L)
- 1559-7016
- OpenAlex
- W2117825985
- Cited by
- 522
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 34 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 46 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 44 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 34 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 19
- FWCI
- 15.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research at the University of Copenhagen (University of Copenhagen) (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Muscle metabolism and nutrition
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
- Keywords
- blood lactate, brain energy metabolism, lactate oxidation, brain glucose uptake, physical activity, hyperlactatemia
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain, Energy Metabolism, Glucose, Humans, Kinetics, Male, Lactic Acid, Carbohydrate Metabolism
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