Pyruvate

Technically, pyruvate is pyruvic acid. Pyruvate is the stabilized form of pyruvic acid - (the pyruvic acid molecule is stabilized when bonded to either calcium, sodium, magnesium or potassium forming a salt). Pyruvate is naturally produced by the body during glycolysis (the process where glucose is metabolized forming pyruvate plus ATP which the body uses for energy). Pyruvate is also part of our natural diet - in fact most people ingest up to 2 grams a day. Some of the foods high in pyruvate include: some cheeses, red wine, dark beer and red apples. Twenty-five years of clinical research on pyruvate indicates that two key benefits to athletes include: enhanced fat loss and increased exercise performance!

Yes, clinical studies on pyruvate have shown significant effects that promote weight/fat loss - these results show: 37 % greater weight loss (13 pounds vs. 9.5 pounds) and of the weight loss more of it was actual fat loss, in fact a 48% greater loss of fat than control subjects (8.8 pounds vs. 5.9 pounds)!!! Other human studies have indicated that pyruvate improves exercise performance by "glucose extraction" which enhances the transport of glucose into muscle cells. Clinical tests shows this leads to an increase in muscular endurance of 20% in the arms and legs.

Other possible benefits of pyruvate may include: as an anti oxidant to help slow aging, to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, increased glycogen storage, retention of lean muscle mass, increased anabolism or body protein uptake, and increased fat utilization and resting metabolic rate!

Since pyruvate is a normal constituent of metabolism and is found naturally in our diets, its safety should be high. Even in studies using very high doses (100 times the recommended dosage) no changes in laboratory tests or clinical evaluations that measured heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, urine output or EKG were noted. The only side effects noted in early studies was diarrhea or borborygmus (gurgling sounds in the digestive tract), but these intestinal side effects are no longer seen since the quality of raw pyruvate has improved.