Which stage of EPOC is specifically involved in the removal of lactate?

• A. Alactic stage
• B. Lactacid stage
• C. Aerobic recovery stage
• D. Anaerobic stage

Answer: (B)

The stage that involves clearing lactate is the lactacid stage. After intense exercise, lactate produced in muscles needs oxygen to be removed effectively. During this phase, lactate is oxidized back to usable energy in mitochondria (and some is converted to glucose in the liver via the Cori cycle). This makes it the specific recovery period where lactate clearance happens.

The alactic stage deals with rapid replenishment of phosphocreatine and does not involve lactate removal, while the anaerobic stage refers to the period of glycolysis during exercise rather than recovery. The term aerobic recovery is broader, but the process specifically tied to lactate clearance is the lactacid stage.