# Pyruvate Metabolism

**Pyruvate** can be metabolized in many different reactions by the body. The four most important reactions include its conversion into (1) oxaloacetate, (2) alanine, (3) lactate, and (4) acetyl-CoA.

The first is the conversion of pyruvate into **oxaloacetate**, a reaction catalyzed by **pyruvate carboxylase** with the co-factor, [**Biotin (Vitamin B7)**](/content/view/3765/index.html).

Second, pyruvate can undergo transamination via **ALT (alanine transaminase)** into **alanine**, using [**Vitamin B6 (pyroxidine)**](/content/view/3763/index.html) as a cofactor.

Third, pyruvate is turned into **lactate** by **lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)**, which uses the [Vitamin B3 (Niacin)](/content/view/3716/index.html)-derived **NADH**, generating NAD+ in the process.

Finally, pyruvate gets converted into **acetyl-CoA** by pyruvate dehydrogenase. This reaction is catalyzed by the **pyruvate dehydrogenase complex**, which requires 5 cofactors: **Vitamins** [**B1**](/content/view/3680/index.html) **,** [**B2**](/content/view/3681/index.html) **,** [**B3**](/content/view/3716/index.html) **,** [**B5**](/content/view/3682/index.html) **,** and **lipoic acid**. It also converts NAD+ to NADH in the process.