Question

Metformin is the standard first-line oral

medication for Type 2 diabetes. The use of the
drug has the potential side effect of lactic acidosis.
Which of the following explains why this
lactic acid buildup is rarely seen clinically?
(A) The red blood cells utilize the lactate as
fuel.
(B) The renal cell utilizes the lactate as fuel.
(C) The cardiac muscle cells utilize the lactate
as fuel.
(D) The large, voluntary muscle groups utilize
the lactate as fuel.
(E) The lactate directly enters the TCA cycle to
be oxidized.

Answer 1

The lactate directly enters the TCA cycle to be oxidized.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer is option (E) The lactate directly enters the TCA cycle to be oxidized.

Metformin, the standard first-line oral medication for Type 2 diabetes, can potentially cause lactic acidosis as a side effect. However, lactic acid buildup is rarely seen clinically because lactate produced in the body is directly utilized in the TCA cycle, also known as the citric acid cycle or Krebs cycle, to be oxidized or broken down for energy. The TCA cycle takes place in the mitochondria of cells, where lactate is converted into ATP, the energy currency of cells.