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. 2021 Jun 9:12:676484.
doi: 10.3389/fphys.2021.676484. eCollection 2021.

Relationship Between Critical Power and Different Lactate Threshold Markers in Recreational Cyclists

Pedro L Valenzuela  1   2 , Lidia B Alejo  1   2 , Almudena Montalvo-Pérez  1 , Jaime Gil-Cabrera  1 , Eduardo Talavera  1 , Alejandro Lucia  1   2 , David Barranco-Gil  1
Affiliations

Relationship Between Critical Power and Different Lactate Threshold Markers in Recreational Cyclists

Pedro L Valenzuela et al. Front Physiol. .

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze the relationship between critical power (CP) and different lactate threshold (LT2) markers in cyclists. Methods: Seventeen male recreational cyclists [33 ± 5 years, peak power output (PO) = 4.5 ± 0.7 W/kg] were included in the study. The PO associated with four different fixed (onset of blood lactate accumulation) and individualized (Dmaxexp, Dmaxpol, and LTΔ1) LT2 markers was determined during a maximal incremental cycling test, and CP was calculated from three trials of 1-, 5-, and 20-min duration. The relationship and agreement between each LT2 marker and CP were then analyzed. Results: Strong correlations (r = 0.81-0.98 for all markers) and trivial-to-small non-significant differences (Hedges' g = 0.01-0.17, bias = 1-9 W, and p > 0.05) were found between all LT2 markers and CP with the exception of Dmaxexp, which showed the strongest correlation but was slightly higher than the CP (Hedges' g = 0.43, bias = 20 W, and p < 0.001). Wide limits of agreement (LoA) were, however, found for all LT2 markers compared with CP (from ±22 W for Dmaxexp to ±52 W for Dmaxpol), and unclear to most likely practically meaningful differences (PO differences between markers >1%, albeit <5%) were found between markers attending to magnitude-based inferences. Conclusion: LT2 markers show a strong association and overall trivial-to-small differences with CP. Nevertheless, given the wide LoA and the likelihood of potentially meaningful differences between these endurance-related markers, caution should be employed when using them interchangeably.

Keywords: Dmax method; cycling; endurance performance; incremental test; peak power output.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representative lactate curve of a participant showing the determination of Dmaxexp (A), Dmaxpol (B), OBLA (C), and LTΔ1 (D). OBLA, onset of blood lactate accumulation.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relationship between each lactate threshold marker [Dmaxexp (A), Dmaxpol (B), OBLA (C), and LTΔ1 (D)] and critical power. OBLA, onset of blood lactate accumulation.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Bland–Altman plot displaying the agreement between each lactate threshold marker and critical power [Dmaxexp (A), Dmaxpol (B), OBLA (C), and LTΔ1 (D)]. Solid and dashed horizontal lines represent the bias and the limits of agreement (bias ± 1.96 SD), respectively.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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