In the absence of oxygen, the pyruvates are fermented into lactate, which recycles NADH into its oxidizing form, NAD+. If oxygen is present, the cell can reap much more energy through the oxidative decarboxylation of pyruvate and the citric acid cycle. Pyruvate at the Crossroads A cell can use the product of glycolysis, pyruvate, in several metabolic pathways besides decarboxylation.
Turns out the old notion of eating a meal every three to four hours to ramp up oneâs metabolism wasnât exactly perfect advice. In fact, how frequently someone eats has little to do with the speed of their metabolism.
Probably not. There is such a thing as a slow metabolism. But slow metabolism is rare, and it's usually not what's behind being overweight or obese â that's ultimately a result of interactions among genetics, diet, physical activity and other factors. Metabolism is the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. Even when you're at rest, your body needs energy for functions such as breathing, circulating blood and repairing cells. The number of calories your body uses for these basic functions is known as your basal metabolic rate.