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Shaun Phillips, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Physiology, University of Edinburgh

Feeling the burn? It’s not lactic acid

PeopleImages/ Shutterstock

If you’ve ever pushed yourself through a hard workout, you’ve probably “felt the burn.” It’s that familiar sensation of pain and exhaustion in the muscles, where they almost feel like they’re on fire.

This feeling has long been said to be caused by a build-up of lactic acid in the muscles. In fact, this remains a common explanation from recreational exercisers to elite athletes.

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