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I'm doing a practice problem (TPRH science workbook BIO passage 80 on pg 639) on metabolic and respiratory acidosis.
There's a particular graph that shows a decrease in plasma pH due to a decrease in plasma bicarbonate. I can imaging losing bicarbonate would cause a drop in pH. However, the explanations say this could also be due to increased lactic acid levels during exertion, which causes a decrease in plasma bicarbonate and pH. Would someone kindly explain this to me how this works? I can understand that increasing lactate and a resulting decrease in plasma pH but I don't see how increasing lactate would cause a decrease in bicarbonate. Maybe due to Le Chatelier's on the CO2+H20 -> bicarb + proton reaction?
Very much appreciated.
There's a particular graph that shows a decrease in plasma pH due to a decrease in plasma bicarbonate. I can imaging losing bicarbonate would cause a drop in pH. However, the explanations say this could also be due to increased lactic acid levels during exertion, which causes a decrease in plasma bicarbonate and pH. Would someone kindly explain this to me how this works? I can understand that increasing lactate and a resulting decrease in plasma pH but I don't see how increasing lactate would cause a decrease in bicarbonate. Maybe due to Le Chatelier's on the CO2+H20 -> bicarb + proton reaction?
Very much appreciated.
