Lactic Acidosis

What is Lactic acidosis?

Lactic acidosis is a condition in which the body has too much lactic acid in the blood. Causes of lactic acidosis is usually due to severe damage to the liver, kidneys, or other organs that remove lactic acid from the blood. It can also occur in individuals who have diabetes, or during extreme exercise.

Lactic acidosis can also happen when people have an infection or inflammation of their muscles and tissues (myositis), severe burns, or severe dehydration.

During anaerobic exercise individuals are forced to stop or slow down their exercising due to the building up lactic acid. Lactic acid buildup causes a person to slow down or stop exercising due to the moderate to severe muscle stiffness and muscle aches. Despite this, many trained athletes learn to deal with the short periods of time when they have have high lactic acid levels.

What is Lactic Acid?

Lactic acid is produced primarily in muscle cells and the red blood cells. When the body breaks down carbohydrates and the oxygen levels are low, lactic acid begins to form. It can also build up during times of intense exercise, when someone has a severe infection that reduces oxygen delivery or suffers chronic alcoholism.

Lactic Acidosis and Alcohol Use Disorder

Lactic acidosis can be caused by many different conditions, including alcoholism. Alcoholism is a condition in which the person has an addiction to alcohol and cannot stop drinking.

Alcoholism can cause lactic acidosis because alcohol interferes with the breakdown of sugars and fats for energy production. This causes an accumulation of lactic acid in the blood, which can lead to lactic acidosis.

Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment at Turning Point of Tampa

While alcohol addiction can feel frightening and intimidating, there is hope. A respected addiction treatment program can help you better understand, manage, and overcome your addiction. When searching for an addiction treatment provider, it’s important to look for several key factors, including:

• Familiarity of the program with your addiction
• Accreditation
• Experience level of clinical and medical staff
• Treatment philosophy
• Location and residential/outpatient options

Because alcohol addiction can be life-threatening, it’s essential to seek out a treatment provider with relevant experience helping people with alcohol use disorder recovery.

Many treatment programs will incorporate individual and group therapy, 12-step, and peer recovery groups, and other therapeutic techniques, so make sure to ask about their treatment approach.

At Turning Point of Tampa, we incorporate one-on-one and group therapy alongside substance use education and art, music, and equine therapy. We’ve helped individuals recover from addiction and eating disorders since 1987.

Metabolic Acidosis

Metabolic Acidosis is a medical condition that occurs when the body’s internal pH balance is too acidic.

Metabolic Acidosis can be caused by many different things, including health conditions such as:

• kidney failure or kidney disease
• Diabetes
• Liver damage or liver disease
• Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
• Lactic acidosis

Metformin Associated Lactic Acidosis

Lactic acidosis can occur with metformin use especially when taken in large amounts such as in an overdose.

Metformin-associated lactic acidosis (MALA) refers to lactic acidosis associated with metformin overdose or in association with other comorbidities such as renal or hepatic insufficiency or acute infection.

Type A Lactic Acidosis

Type A lactic acidosis is usually caused when acid overproduced in ischemic tissue as a result of an aerobic release of anesthesia in an aerobic deficit ATP.

The overproduction usually occurs during global tissue hypo perfusion in hypovolemic shock characterized as organ hypo perfusion with resultant cell death or damage.

Mechanism of a cardiovascular attack or stroke can be reduced in some instances through decreased circulation volume and vasodilatations.

It is also a characteristic of critical illness, such as severe sepsis and septic shock, or acute medical disease states, including those involving the cardiovascular system and liver.

Type B Lactic Acidosis

In situations where type b lactic acidosis occurs in states of normal global tissue it is less dangerous or life threatening. The causes include local tissue hypoxia (for example with intense muscle use such as during seizures, exertion, and hypothermic shivering) There are times when individuals with congenital conditions or cancer develop type b lactic acidosis.

D-Lactic Acidosis

A rare form of lactic acidosis where D-lactic acid, product of the bacterial metabolism, occurs in jejunoileal bypasses and intestinal resection of a gastrointestinal patient. This remains circulating because humans are not able to synthesize L-lactate as a metabolite.

What is Short Bowel Syndrome?

Although it is rare, people with short gut may experience a buildup of D-lactic acid. It is caused by a buildup of bacterial overgrowth in the small bowel. People who have had gastric bypass surgery may also get D-lactic acidosis.

Lactic Acidosis Symptoms

Lactic acidosis is a rare metabolic disorder that occurs when the body has too much lactic acid. Lactic acidosis is a serious condition that needs to be treated right away.

The symptoms of lactic acidosis can vary from person to person, but they usually include:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Nausea or vomiting
• Rapid breathing
• Severe abdominal pain
• Confusion or disorientation
• Seizures

If you experience any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately. Your doctor can help determine the underlying causes.

How is Lactic Acidosis Diagnosed?

Lactic acidosis is diagnosed through laboratory tests that include a fasting blood test.

Your healthcare provider may instruct you to drink or eat anything anywhere from 8 to 10 hours before taking the lab test. You may also be told to reduce your activity levels during the hours leading up to your lab test.

During the test for lactic acidosis, your doctor may tell you not to clench your fist, as this may artificially spike acid levels. Tying an elastic band around the arm may also have this result.

The diagnosis itself does not necessarily warrant a medical emergency, it all depends on the underlying medical conditions that may be going on.

Can you Treat Lactic Acidosis?

In some cases you can treat lactic acidosis. Treatment of lactic acidosis may include stopping the activity that caused it, giving fluids and electrolytes, and giving antibiotics if an infection is suspected.

Treatment is directed towards correcting the underlying cause of lactic acidosis and optimizing tissue oxygen delivery.

Getting Help at Turning Point of Tampa

As one of the few residential treatment centers in Florida, Turning Point of Tampa is proud to offer our clients the ability to stay in a safe, sober environment while in treatment.

We have around the clock staff and offer a highly intensive therapy and counseling milieu. Utilizing the 12-Step model for addiction treatment, we have helped thousands of clients over the past three decades.