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.
Thyroid problems are also known to affect the metabolism. Hypothyroidism results in a slow metabolism and hyperthyroidism a fast metabolism. Many people try to use the excuse of a thyroid problem when it comes to weight loss, but the truth is, such conditions are less common than people think. If you have these symptoms, have your doctor do some blood tests to see if there is an underlying condition contributing to your slow metabolism.