Pyruvate - anyone?

08-06-2004, 01:51 PM

I am wondering if anyone here has taken the supplement Pyruvate and if so, what has been your experience with it?

Also, does anyone happen to know if it is safe to take if a person has hypoglycemia ? (Since it is derived from pyruvic-acid - a key chemical in the process of metabolising glucose in your body?) I ask tihs specifically because I am hypoglycemic and when I have taken it in the past, I swear it messes with my blood sugar levels because I tend to have more hypoglycemic episodes/symptoms while using it.

PLEASE, any info, particularly on that last part, would be most helpful!!!

08-07-2004, 05:09 AM

Rhadianze,

From my limited experience with the Krebs Cycle, it would seem that the body makes and detroys several hundred grams of pyruvate a day in the generation of energy. I think the addition of a couple hundred MILLIGRAMS would do nothing but waste your money.

(Reminds me of the GRAPEFRUIT DIET which had at it's core the effect of CITRIC acid on the same cycle.)

08-07-2004, 08:26 AM

Rhadianze, Pyruvate can definately effect glucose levels and in turn indirectly stimulate insulin production. If you document your hypoG reactions and have previously suspected that this caused a problem for you, then you should avoid it!

08-07-2004, 12:17 PM

Zip - actually , the dosage I am looking at taking is approximately 3000 mg at least ...(or 3 grams)... so it is more than a few hundred milligrams... would you assume this would make a difference? I have researched it only a bit and the one thing that I saw continually was that the recommended amount to see results is at least around 2 grams to 5 grams a day (i.e - some see results with around 2 and some need as much as a minimum of 5 to see results)

And jdimassimo - can I ask you where you found that the supplement does have effect on glucose levels so I can look into it further?

08-11-2004, 04:58 AM

Rhadianze,

Here's some Jargon:

Quote:

The Energy Derived from Glucose Oxidation

Aerobic glycolysis of glucose to pyruvate, requires two equivalents of ATP to activate the process, with the subsequent production of four equivalents of ATP and two equivalents of NADH. Thus, conversion of one mole of glucose to two moles of pyruvate is accompanied by the net production of two moles each of ATP and NADH.

Glucose + 2 ADP + 2 NAD+ + 2 Pi -----> 2 Pyruvate + 2 ATP + 2 NADH + 2 H+

The NADH generated during glycolysis is used to fuel mitochondrial ATP synthesis via oxidative phosphorylation, producing either two or three equivalents of ATP depending upon whether the glycerol phosphate shuttle or the malate-aspartate shuttle is used to transport the electrons from cytoplasmic NADH into the mitochondria. The net yield from the oxidation of 1 mole of glucose to 2 moles of pyruvate is, therefore, either 6 or 8 moles of ATP. Complete oxidation of the 2 moles of pyruvate, through the TCA cycle, yeilds an additional 30 moles of ATP; the total yield, therefore being either 36 or 38 moles of ATP from the complete oxidation of 1 mole of glucose to CO2 and H2O.

Here's the way I look at it. Virtually ALL the body's carbs are ultimately routed into pyruvate and energy or fat storage.
Since the average carbohydrate consumption is in the realm of 1000 calories, more or less, then that's 250 grams of carbs daily going into pyruvate (and citrate) production...or 250,000 mg. per day.
3 grams of pyruvate is the energy equivalent of about 12 calories...that's why I say save your money! I agree with jdi that adding the end product (pyruvate) probably raises the starting product (glucose) a little but, again, 3 grams "ain't much."
(Most chemical reactions can be driven backwards by addition of end products.)

08-11-2004, 02:12 PM

Wow! Thanks for the info! (And for laying it out in terms I will understand! haha)

So, my next questions then is... can you explain to me in laymans terms, how it is supposed to be able to burn extra fat then? The tests that I've read in regard to it have concluded that it definately helped the test subjects to lose weight faster while taking it than with diet and exercise alone. Granted, they were given much larger doses.. but I am just wondering HOW it works.

See, I already have three bottles of the stuff sitting around anyways... 120 capsules each. So, do you think it will do any good in terms of boosting my metabolism if I take, say, 6 grams a day? Obviously if it makes me feel weird, I won't, but... if not..

Pyruvate - anyone?

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