Exercise Intensity and Lactate Kinetics in Children Aged 8–12 Years
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59614/acief62026295Keywords:
Exercise intensity in puberty, lactate kinetics, VO₂max, cardiovascular correlationAbstract
Background. The assessment of exercise intensity in pediatric populations is limited by developmental differences in the metabolic, cardiovascular, and endocrine systems, which challenge adult-derived models for interpreting lactate. Objective. To evaluate lactate kinetics, V̇ O₂max, and cardiovascular responses in school-aged children aged 8 to 12 years (n=24), considering sex and biological maturation, and to determine the optimal time for lactate measurement. Methods. A prospective, interventional, pre- and post-test study was conducted to determine lactate dynamics at rest and immediately after exercise, between 5 and 7 minutes and after 10 minutes. Participants from central Mexico were stratified by age (8-10 vs. 10-12 years) and sex (female and male) (n=24), and were selected from the city. Anthropometric, cardiovascular, and metabolic variables were analyzed. Statistical analysis included one-way ANOVA, post hoc comparisons, and Pearson correlation. Results: Significant differences were observed between age groups for V̇ O₂max (F=6.12; p<0.01) and lactate (F=7.45; p=0.008). Male infants showed a higher V̇ O₂max than female infants (p<0.05). The lactate peak occurred between 3 and 5 minutes after exercise. A significant correlation was observed between lactate and heart rate (r=0.52; p<0.01). Discussion: These findings confirm a growth-stage-dependent metabolic response and support the use of standardized protocols for lactate measurement. Ethical considerations should guide invasive testing in pediatric populations, favoring the use of non-invasive methods such as heart rate monitoring.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Antonio Eugenio Rivera-Cisneros, Guadalupe Montaño-Corona, MaTeresa Melchor-Moreno, Pedro Morales-Corral, Dulce Edith Morales-Elizondo, Hilda Lissette López-Lemus
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