LACTATE PLASMA BC129
🚑 Sepsis Marker & 🏃♂️ Fitness MonitorLactate is highly unstable outside the body.
- The Grey Top Tube: Blood must be collected in a Sodium Fluoride (Grey) or Heparin (Green) tube.
- No Tourniquet: Ideally, blood should be drawn without a tight band, or the band should be released immediately to prevent false high levels from hand clenching.
- Ice Pack: The sample must be transported on ice immediately to the lab. If RBCs continue to work in the tube, they produce lactate, giving a false positive result.
📋 Test Details
- Report Time: Same Day.
- Sample Type: Plasma (Grey Top - Fluoride Oxalate).
- Method: Enzymatic / Colorimetric.
- Test Code: BC129
What is Plasma Lactate (Lactic Acid)?
Lactate is a chemical byproduct produced when your body turns food into energy. Normally, your cells use oxygen to create energy (aerobic metabolism). However, when oxygen levels are low (like during intense exercise or severe illness), cells switch to an emergency backup mode called anaerobic metabolism.
This backup mode produces energy without oxygen, but it creates Lactate as a waste product. In a healthy body, the liver quickly cleans this up. But if the body is producing too much lactate (due to illness) or the liver is damaged, lactate builds up in the blood, leading to a dangerous condition called Lactic Acidosis.
Why is this Test Prescribed? (Clinical Uses)
Doctors order the Plasma Lactate test primarily to check for Tissue Hypoxia (lack of oxygen in body tissues). It is a critical marker in emergency medicine.
1. Sepsis & Septic Shock (The 1 Medical Use)
Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection. When sepsis worsens, blood pressure drops, and oxygen doesn't reach organs. This causes lactate levels to skyrocket.
The Lactate Score:
• Normal: < 2 mmol/L
• Elevated: 2–4 mmol/L (Warning sign)
• Critical: > 4 mmol/L (Indicates Septic Shock and high mortality risk)
Doctors track lactate levels every few hours to see if resuscitation (IV fluids/Antibiotics) is working.
2. Heart & Lung Conditions
Any condition that stops oxygen from moving around the body will raise lactate levels:
- Heart Failure / Heart Attack: The heart pumps poorly, so organs don't get oxygen.
- Severe Anemia: Not enough red blood cells to carry oxygen.
- Respiratory Failure: Lungs aren't bringing in enough oxygen.
3. Lactic Acidosis (Metabolic)
High lactate turns the blood acidic (low pH). This happens in:
- Liver Disease: The liver is responsible for clearing lactate. If the liver fails, lactate accumulates.
- Diabetes (Metformin): Rarely, the drug Metformin can cause lactic acidosis in patients with kidney issues.
- Toxins: Carbon monoxide poisoning or alcohol overdose.
For Athletes: The Lactate Threshold Test
While often associated with sickness, this test is also a Gold Standard for elite athletes (runners, cyclists, swimmers).
🏃♂️ Performance Monitoring
When you exercise hard, you feel a "burn" in your muscles. That is lactate building up.
Lactate Threshold (LT): This is the intensity at which lactate builds up faster than your body can clear it.
• Athletes test their lactate to find their exact red line.
• Training just below this threshold improves endurance significantly.
Symptoms of High Lactate (Lactic Acidosis)
If you are not exercising but have high lactate, you may experience:
- Rapid, deep breathing (The body trying to breate off the acid).
- Excessive sweating and cold, clammy skin.
- Nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
- Confusion, weakness, or coma.
- Sweet-smelling breath.
Types of Lactic Acidosis
Doctors classify the results into two types:
- Type A (Hypoxic): Caused by lack of oxygen (Sepsis, Shock, Heart Failure, Lung issues). This is the most common type.
- Type B (Non-Hypoxic): Oxygen levels are fine, but metabolism is broken. Caused by Diabetes, Liver failure, Kidney failure, Leukemia, or certain drugs/toxins.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Generally, no fasting is required. However, for athletic testing, you should be rested. For medical diagnosis, it is usually done as an emergency, regardless of food intake.
Yes! Hyperventilating (breathing too fast due to fear of needles) can alter blood pH and lactate levels. Try to remain calm during the draw. Also, clenching your fist tightly (pumping the hand) during the blood draw can artificially raise lactate levels.
For Venous Blood: 0.5 to 2.2 mmol/L.
Levels above 4.0 mmol/L are considered a medical emergency requiring immediate hospitalization.
No. Plasma Lactate (BC129) measures body-wide issues like sepsis. CSF Lactate (BC128) is specific to the brain and is used to diagnose Meningitis. They are not interchangeable.
Disclaimer: High lactate is a serious medical finding. Results must be interpreted by a Physician or Intensivist immediately.