I came across a very interesting article today.
Not only does this finding help explain why the brain is able to work properly when the body’s demands for fuel and oxygen are highest, but it goes a step further to show that the brain actually shifts into a higher gear in terms of activity. This opens doors to entirely new areas of brain research related to understanding lactate’s specific neurological effects.
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology: During exercise, the human brain shifts into high gear on ‘alternative energy’
Very interesting. I had read speculation that the brain could run off of lactate in an emergency, but I’d had no idea it was common during exercise. It’s also interesting to note that the brain operates at a higher level of activity while burning lactate. I wonder if this might play a role in exercise induced neurogenesis.