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Many people love tasty and healthy kefir, fermented baked milk, yogurt. They have a pleasant, slightly sour taste and are not only tasty, but also healthy food for our body. After all, they contain lactic acid, which we need for health and energy.
Lactic acid is actively produced by the body as a result of intense sports training. Its excess in the body is familiar to each of us from the sensations of muscle soreness after school physical education lessons.
Lactic acid is used by the body for important chemical reactions. It is necessary for the course of metabolic processes. Used directly by the heart muscle, brain and nervous system.
Lactic acid rich foods:
General characteristics of lactic acid
Lactic acid was discovered in 1780 by the Swedish chemist and pharmacist Karl Scheele. It was thanks to this outstanding person that many organic and inorganic substances became known to the world – chlorine, glycerin, hydrocyanic and lactic acids. The complex composition of the air has been proven.
For the first time, lactic acid was found in the muscles of animals, then in the seeds of plants. In 1807, the Swedish mineralogist and chemist Jens Jakob Berzelius isolated lactate salts from the muscles.
Lactic acid is produced by our body in the process of glycolysis – the breakdown of carbohydrates under the influence of enzymes. Acid is produced in large quantities in the brain, muscles, liver, heart and some other organs.
In food, when exposed to lactic acid bacteria, lactic acid is also formed. There is a lot of it in yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk, sour cream, sauerkraut, beer, cheeses and wine.
Lactic acid is also chemically produced in factories. It is used as a food additive and preservative for E-270, which is considered safe for most people to eat. It is added to infant formula, salad dressings and some confectionery.
Daily requirement for lactic acid
The body’s daily requirement for this substance is not clearly indicated anywhere. It is known that with insufficient physical activity, lactic acid in the body is produced worse. In this case, to provide the body with lactic acid, it is recommended to drink up to two glasses of yogurt or kefir per day.
The need for lactic acid increases with:
- intense physical activity, when the activity doubles;
- with high mental stress;
- during active growth and development of the body.
The need for lactic acid is reduced:
- in old age;
- with diseases of the liver and kidneys;
- with a high content of ammonia in the blood.
Digestibility of lactic acid
The lactic acid molecule is almost 2 times smaller than the glucose molecule. It is thanks to this that it is very quickly absorbed by the body. Bypassing all kinds of obstacles, it easily penetrates the membranes of cells in our body.
Useful properties of lactic acid and its effect on the body
Lactic acid is involved in providing the body with energy, plays an important role in metabolic processes and in the creation of glucose. It is necessary for the full functioning of the myocardium, nervous system, brain and some other organs. It has an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effect on the body.
Interaction with other elements:
Lactic acid interacts with water, oxygen, copper and iron.
Signs of a lack of lactic acid in the body:
- lack of strength;
- problems with digestion;
- weak brain activity.
Signs of excess lactic acid in the body:
- convulsions of various origins;
- severe liver damage (hepatitis, cirrhosis);
- elderly age;
- decompensation of diabetes mellitus;
- a large amount of ammonia in the blood.
Lactic acid for beauty and health
Lactic acid is found in cuticle removers. It does not damage normal skin, but only acts on the keratinized layers of the epidermis. This property is used to remove corns and even warts.
Prstokvash hair masks have worked well for hair loss. In addition, the hair becomes shiny and silky. It works well on dry to normal hair. After 30 minutes of soaking on the hair, the mask is washed off with warm water without the use of shampoo.
In the beauty secrets of our grandmothers, you can find a miraculous recipe for preserving youth and healthy skin – daily washing with sour milk. Old manuscripts claim that such washing helps to cleanse the skin of freckles and age spots, make the skin smoother and more tender.