Sports Nutrition Bible

[ono]

Yeah sorry i missed out how pyruvic acid accumulates. Anyways i'll give it a go...

When pyruvic acid accumulates in our muscles (which normally occurs after a slight increase in exercise intensity) lactic dehydrogenase(spelling) converts it into lactate. Under moderate-to-high exercise intensity, lactate is converted back to pyruvic acid, which then can be broken into ATP (in the presence of oxygen, of course).

As far as i am aware, pyruvic acid does convert to lactate, but lactate can also be converted back into pyruvic acid.

I hope that explains it a little better...i was rushed for time trying to finish the chapter before my dinner ended at work :-)