Lactic Acid Production
Credits Lactic Acid
Lactate (synonymous with lactic acid) is formed from the pyruvate that is produced as a product of glycolysis. The glycolysis reaction progresses as follows:
Glucose + 2 NAD+ + 2 ADP + 2 Pi → 2 Pyruvate + 2 NADH + 2 H+ + 2 ATP + 2 H2O
The above equation clearly shows that NAD+ is required for glycolysis to occur. To keep the glycolysis reaction going the NADH produced must be regenerated back into NAD+ so the reaction can continue to produce energy for the cell.
This is where lactate comes in. An enzyme called Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH) is able to convert the pyruvate into lactate and at the same time converts the spent NADH back into the NAD+ that glycolysis requires.
Pyruvate + H+ + NADH → Lactate + NAD+
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