Lactic Acidosis: Causes, Risks, and What to Do When It Happens

When your body makes too much lactic acidosis, a dangerous buildup of lactic acid in the bloodstream that lowers blood pH. Also known as lactic acid build-up, it’s not just a lab result—it’s a medical emergency that can sneak up when you least expect it. This isn’t the kind of muscle burn you feel after a hard workout. This is your body’s energy system going off the rails, often because of how you’re taking medication.

Lactic acidosis, a type of metabolic acidosis caused by excess lactate. Also known as type B lactic acidosis, it often shows up in people taking certain diabetes drugs like metformin, especially if they have kidney issues or get dehydrated. It’s rare—but when it hits, it hits fast. The symptoms? Deep, rapid breathing, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and a strange feeling of being exhausted even when you’ve done nothing. If you’re on metformin, or any drug that affects how your cells use oxygen, you need to know these signs. It’s not just diabetes meds either. HIV treatments like nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, certain antibiotics, and even some cancer drugs can trigger it. Even people with heart failure or severe infections can develop it without any meds at all.

Metabolic acidosis, a condition where the body produces too much acid or can’t remove it properly. Also known as acidemia, it’s the broader category lactic acidosis falls under. But lactic acidosis is the most common type seen in hospitals—and the one most tied to everyday medications. The good news? If caught early, it’s treatable. The bad news? It often gets missed because it looks like the flu, or just "feeling off." That’s why knowing your risk matters. If you’re over 65, have kidney disease, drink alcohol regularly, or take metformin and get sick with vomiting or diarrhea, you’re in a higher-risk group. Your doctor should check your kidney function before prescribing metformin and monitor it yearly. But you’re the first line of defense. If you feel unusually tired, dizzy, or short of breath after starting a new drug, don’t brush it off.

What you’ll find in the posts below isn’t just theory. It’s real-world advice from people who’ve seen this happen—and from experts who’ve studied how medications like metformin, statins, and even steroids can push the body past its limit. You’ll learn how to spot the warning signs before it turns critical, which drugs are most likely to cause it, and how to talk to your doctor so you don’t become a statistic. This isn’t about fear. It’s about knowing what to watch for so you can stay safe while getting the treatment you need.