This lactate threshold is marked by a slight drop in pH (from 7.4 to about 7.2) that is thought to and cause fatigue and reduce the power of muscle contractions. At this point the athlete is forced to back off or slow down. Presumably, having a higher lactate threshold means an athlete can continue at a high-intensity effort with a longer time to exhaustion. Because of this, many consider LT a great way to predict athletic performance in high-intensity endurance sports. LT is also used by many athletes to determine training plans.