Problem: Jack is looking to improve his speed and has added sprint workouts to his weekly exercise routine. After his 7th 100 meter sprint, his legs started to cramp up. He assumed it was because lactic acid was building up in his muscles. From an energy perspective, what's the purpose of converting pyruvate to lactate when oxygen isn't present?
- It's necessary for the production of oxaloacetate
- It allows the body to utilize fatty acids more efficiently
- The production of lactate is important because it ensures a continuous supply of NAD+, which is used in anaerobic glycolysis
- It allows for the production of NADH, which is later used in the electron transport chain