The Peter Attia Drive

#312 - A masterclass in lactate: Its critical role as metabolic fuel, implications for diseases, and therapeutic potential from cancer to brain health and beyond | George A. Brooks, Ph.D.

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George A. Brooks is a renowned professor of integrative biology at UC Berkeley. Known for his groundbreaking "lactate shuttle" theory proposed in the 1980s, George revolutionized our understanding of lactate as a crucial fuel source rather than just a byproduct of exercise. In this episode, George clarifies common misconceptions between lactate and lactic acid, delves into historical perspectives, and explains how lactate serves as a fuel for the brain and muscles. He explores the metabolic differences in exceptional athletes and how training impacts lactate flux and utilization. Furthermore, George reveals the significance of lactate in type 2 diabetes, cancer, and brain injuries, highlighting its therapeutic potential. This in-depth conversation discusses everything from the fundamentals of metabolism to the latest research on lactate's role in gene expression and therapeutic applications.

We discuss:

  • Our historical understanding of lactate and muscle metabolism: early misconceptions and key discoveries [3:30];
  • Fundamentals of metabolism: how glucose is metabolized to produce ATP and fuel our bodies [16:15];
  • The critical role of lactate in energy production within muscles [24:00];
  • Lactate as a preferred fuel during high-energy demands: impact on fat oxidation, implications for type 2 diabetes, and more [30:45];
  • How the infusion of lactate could aid recovery from traumatic brain injuries (TBI) [43:00];
  • The effects of exercise-induced lactate [49:30];
  • Metabolic differences between highly-trained athletes and insulin-resistant individuals [52:00];
  • How training enhances lactate utilization and facilitates lactate shuttling between fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers [58:45];
  • The growing recognition of lactate and monocarboxylate transporters (MCT) [1:06:00];
  • The intricate pathways of lactate metabolism: isotope tracer studies, how exceptional athletes are able to utilize more lactate, and more [1:09:00];
  • The role of lactate in cancer [1:23:15];
  • The role of lactate in the pathophysiology of various diseases, and how exercise could mitigate lactate's carcinogenic effects and support brain health [1:29:45];
  • George’s current research interests involving lactate [1:37:00];
  • Questions that remain about lactate: role in gene expression, therapeutic potential, difference between endogenous and exogenous lactate, and more [1:50:45]; and
  • More.

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