Lactic acid and pyruvic acid are byproducts of glycolysis. Carbohydrates, which contain glucose, are broken down through glycolysis to form pyruvate and two ATP molecules. Pyruvate can also be generated through the catabolism of various amino acids, including alanine, serine, cysteine, glycine, tryptophan and threonine.92 Magnesium is an important cofactor for a number of glycolytic enzymes necessary to produce pyruvate.93 Optimally, pyruvic acid is oxidized to form Acetyl-Co-A to be used aerobically via the Krebs Cycle to produce energy. In an anaerobic state, lactic acid is formed instead.
Decreased urinary pyruvate if:
Diet:
Gastrointestinal disorders:
Problems with glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, or fatty oxidation
-----------------------
Low levels of pyruvate may occur if there are low levels of precursors (glucose, amino acids), if there are nutritional enzyme inhibitions, or if a low-activity enzyme variant is inherited. Low levels can indicate problems with the glycolysis pathway, fatty acid oxidation, or problems with gluconeogenesis. If the person is on a low-carbohydrate or “keto” diet, the CAC will obtain precursors from amino acids or fats, instead of carbohydrates. During long-term fasting, most pyruvate will be diverted into gluconeogenesis rather than into the Citric Acid Cycle.
Consider supporting pyruvate production from carbohydrates or proteins with biotin, r-lipoic acid, B1, B3, B6, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and glutathione (antioxidants)
If pyruvate is low and lactate is higher, then the person may not be able to interconvert the two compounds. This can occur if the person cannot synthesize enough NAD+ or if there is an inherited low-activity enzyme variant.
Phthalate chemical exposures can inhibit the enzyme that interconverts pyruvate and lactate.
Understand and improve your laboratory results with our health dashboard.
Upload your lab reports and get your interpretation today.
Our technology helps to understand, combine, track, organize, and act on your medical lab test results.
High levels of pyruvate may occur if there is nutritional inhibition of the breakdown enzymes if inherited, inherited low-activity enzyme variations are present on the breakdown pathway, if there are high levels of precursors (glucose, amino acids) or if there are high levels of downstream products (lactate, citrate). High pyruvate levels can indicate problems with entry into the CAC; check citrate levels. Medical conditions, such as acidosis or chronic fatigue syndrome, may increase pyruvate levels. High levels of pyruvate may prevent the synthesis of carbohydrates, fatty acids, ketone bodies, alanine, and steroids needed by the body.
If pyruvate is high and lactate is lower, then the patient may not be able to interconvert the two compounds. This can occur if the patient cannot synthesize enough NAD+ or if there is an inherited low-activity enzyme variant.
If pyruvate is high and citrate is low, consider supporting pyruvate’s entry into the Citric Acid Cycle with B1, B3, biotin, r-lipoic acid, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc, and glutathione.
Pyruvate entry into the CAC may be inhibited by arsenic or other toxic metal exposures. Arsenic exposure can increase alpha-ketoglutarate and pyruvate, while citrate and succinate levels decrease.
Medical conditions may increase pyruvate levels
Secondary lactic acidosis
Sleep apnea, blood infections, seizures, respiratory or cardiac insufficiency
Dicarboxylic acids (cis-aconitate, isocitrate, succinate, malate, suberate, and adipate) may also be elevated
Chronic fatigue
Levels of citrate, cis-aconitate, isocitrate, malate may be low
Phthalate exposures can inhibit the enzyme that interconverts pyruvate and lactate.
Interpret Your Lab Results
Upload your lab report, and we'll interpret and provide you with recommendations today.
Get StartedMonthly plan
Annual plan
Own it for life
Our exclusive data entry service is a convenient way to get your results into your private dashboard. Simply attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and one of our qualified data entry team members will add the results for you. We support all sorts of files, whether PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is excellent whether you have a lot of reports to upload or are too busy to do the data entry yourself.
We strive to make the data entry process easy for you. Whether by offering dozens of templates to choose from that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels or by giving you instant feedback on the entered values. Our data entry forms are an easy, fast, and convenient way to enter the reports yourself. There is no limit on how many lab reports you can upload.
$15 /month
billed every month
Most popular
Data entry included
$79 /year
$6.60/month billed annually
Data entry included
$250 /once
own it for life
Are You a Health Professional?
Get started with our professional plan
Welcome to Healthmatters Pro.
Save time on interpreting lab results with the largest database of biomarkers online. In-depth research on any test at your fingertips, all stored and tracked in one place. Learn more
Pro Monthly Plus
for health professionals
$75 per month
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
2-Decenedioic Acid, 2-ET-3-OH-Propionic, 2-Hydroxyadipic, 2-Hydroxybutyric, 2-Hydroxyglutaric, 2-Hydroxyisocaproic, 2-Hydroxyisovaleric, 2-Methyl, 3-Hydroxybutyric, 2-Methylacetoacetic, 2-Methylbutrylglycine, 2-Methylglutaconic Acid, 2-Octenedioic acid, 2-Octenoic Acid, 2-OH-3ME-Valeric, 2-Oxo-3-methylvaleric, 2-OXO-Butyric Acid, 2-OXOADIPIC, 2-Oxoglutaric, 2-Oxoisocaproic, 2-Oxoisovaleric, 2OH-Phenylacetic Acid, 3-Hydroxyadipic, 3-Hydroxybutyric, 3-Hydroxyglutaric, 3-Hydroxyisobutyric, 3-Hydroxyisovaleric, 3-Hydroxypropionic, 3-Hydroxysebacic, 3-Hydroxyvaleric, 3-Methylcrotonylglycine, 3-Methylglutaconic, 3-Methylglutaric, 3-OH-3-Methylglutaric, 30H-ISOVALERIC ACID, 3OH-2-Methylvaleric Acid, 3OH-Dodecanedioic Acid, 3OH-Dodecanoic Acid, 4 HYDROXYCYCLOHEX- ANEACETIC, 4-Hydroxphenyllactic, 4-Hydroxybutyric, 4-Hydroxyphenylacetic, 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvic, 4OH-Phenylpropionic Acid, 5-HIAA, 5-Oxoproline, 5OH-Hexanoic Acid, Acetoacetic, Aconitic, Ur, Adipic, Butyrylglycine, Citric, Crotonylglycine, Decadienedioic, Dodecanedioic, Ethylmalonic, Fumaric, Glutaconic, Glutaric, Glyceric Acid, Hexanoylglycine, Homogentisic, HOMOVANILLIC ACID, Isobutyrylglycine, Isocitric, Isovaleryglycine, Lactic, Lactic Acid, Malic, Malonic, Methylcitric, Methylmalonic, Methylsuccinic, Mevalonolactone, N ACETYLASPARTIC, N-AcetylTyrosine, N-Valerylglycine, Octanoic, Orotic, Phenylacetic, Phenyllactic, Phenylpropionylglycine, Phenylpyruvic, Propionylglycine, Pyruvic, Sebacic, Suberic, Suberylglycine, Succinic, Succinylacetone, Thymine, Tiglylglycine, Trans-Cinnamoylglycine, Uracil, VMA