Disappearance of DL-Lactate-2-C 14 from Blood in Normal and Diabetic Rats. ∗

Summary

The metabolism of lactate in normal and diabetic rats has been studied using a single intravenous injection of DL-lactate-2-C¹⁴. The concentration of blood lactate was found to be about 15% higher in diabetic rats than in normal rats. The disappearance of labelled lactate from the blood was almost the same in diabetic as compared with that in normal rats. Diabetic rats showed depressed C¹⁴O₂ production and increased incorporation of C¹⁴ in the blood glucose from DL-lactate-2-C¹⁴ as compared with normal rats. These results would indicate that the blood lactate is being used up and renewed at a very rapid rate even in diabetic state. However, in the diabetic state, it would appear that the lactate is being channeled to glucose formation rather than to oxidation.