Glucose-Lactate Inter-Relations in Man

Abstract

THE roles of carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism in the fuel economy of fed, fasting and exercising man^{1 2 3} have provided an intriguing saga in modern scientific investigation of intermediary metabolism. Lactate, a common intermediate or by-product of glycolysis that is produced in varying degrees by all tissues in the body, may exert a profound influence on the economy of glucose, since it is both an important precursor and an end product of glucose metabolism.⁴ Accelerated conversion of glucose to lactate, unless balanced by a commensurate increase in lactate conversion to glucose, could result in hypoglycemia. In certain cases tumor hypoglycemia . . .