Lactic Acid: How/why is it formed?

The body has two ways to use glucose: aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis. Aerobic glycolysis is more efficient because electrons which are liberated from glucose are transferred to oxygen. This process produces energy which the cell can trap as ATP. When there isn't enough oxygen, the cell needs some other way to dump these electrons or the system will back up and stop. The cell dumps these electrons into pyruvic acid, a product of glucose, converting it to lactic acid. What is the necessary role it plays? Lactic acid is a waste product which results from anaerobic glycolysis. However, the liver can convert it back to glucose by gluconeogenesis. BTW, the "lactic acid burn" that you get when you go anaerobic is not the result of the high levels of lactate in your blood. Subjects who were given high levels of sodium lactate did not suffer any of the symptoms to being anaerobic. These symptoms result from the drop in pH of the blood which results from dumping acid into it. You'd get the ...  more

... Lactic acid is a waste product which results from anaerobic glycolysis. However, the liver can convert it back to glucose ... Muscle Structure and Function http://members.tripod.com/Dramo13/Muscles/Lactic_Acid.  more

The body has two ways to use glucose: aerobic and anaerobic glycolysis. http://members.tripod.com/Dramo13/Muscles/Lactic_Acid.html Lactic Acid and Performance Lactic Acid and Performance How lactic acid affects performance http://sportsmedicine.about.com/library/weekly/aa091301a.htm lactic acid. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001 ...lactic acid. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001... http://www.bartleby.com/65/la/lacticac.  more

... Lactic acid is a waste product whi...  more