Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
Lactic acid fermentation
(section)
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
=== Physiology=== ==== Microbiomes ==== Lactobacillus fermentation and accompanying production of acid provides a protective vaginal [[microbiome]] that protects against the proliferation of pathogenic organisms.<ref name=Nardis2013>{{cite journal | vauthors = Nardis C, Mosca L, Mastromarino P | title = Vaginal microbiota and viral sexually transmitted diseases | journal = Annali di Igiene | volume = 25 | issue = 5 | pages = 443–56 | date = September–October 2013 | pmid = 24048183 | doi = 10.7416/ai.2013.1946 }}</ref> The vaginal environment is heavily influenced by lactic acid producing bacteria. ''Lactobacilli'' spp. that live in the vaginal canal assist in pH control. If the pH in the vagina becomes too basic, more lactic acid will be produced to lower the pH back to a more acidic level. Lactic acid producing bacteria also act as a protective barrier against possible pathogens such as bacterial vaginosis and vaginitis species, different fungi, and protozoa through the production of hydrogen peroxide, and antibacterial compounds. It is unclear if further use of lactic acid, through fermentation, in the vaginal canal is present.{{cn|date = February 2025}} ==== Lactate fermentation and muscle cramps==== {{main|Muscle contraction}} Human (and other eukaryote) cells can produce ATP from glucose without oxygen in a process called [[glycolysis]]. This is not as efficient as respiration, but provides a high instantaneous output, and is hence used by some muscle cells. Glycolysis consumes ADP, Pi, glucose, and NAD+ to produce ATP, pyruvate, and NADH. Through lactate fermentation, pyruvate and NADH are turned into lactate and NAD+, thereby regenerating the NAD+ required for more glycolysis. During the 1990s, the lactic acid hypothesis was created to explain why people experienced burning or muscle cramps that occurred during and after intense exercise. The hypothesis proposes that a lack of oxygen in muscle cells results in a switch from cellular respiration to fermentation. Lactic acid created as a byproduct of fermentation of pyruvate from glycolysis accumulates in muscles causing a burning sensation and cramps. Research from 2006 has suggested that acidosis isn't the main cause of muscle cramps. Instead cramps may be due to a lack of [[potassium]] in muscles, leading to contractions under high stress. Animals, in fact, do not produce lactic acid during fermentation. Despite the common use of the term lactic acid in the literature, the byproduct of fermentation in animal cells is lactate.<ref name="Robergs">{{cite journal |last1=Robergs |first1=Robert |last2=McNulty |first2=Craig |last3=Minett |first3=Geoffrey |last4=Holland |first4=Justin |last5=Trajano |first5=Gabriel |title=Lactate, not Lactic Acid, is Produced by Cellular Cytosolic Energy Catabolism |journal=Physiology |date=December 12, 2017 |volume=33 |issue=1 |pages=10–12 |doi=10.1152/physiol.00033.2017 |pmid=29212886 |url=https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physiol.00033.2017}}</ref> Another change to the lactic acid hypothesis is that when sodium lactate is inside of the body, there is a higher period of exhaustion in the host after a period of exercise.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Cairns SP | title = Lactic acid and exercise performance : culprit or friend? | journal = Sports Medicine | volume = 36 | issue = 4 | pages = 279–91 | date = 2006-04-01 | pmid = 16573355 | doi = 10.2165/00007256-200636040-00001 | s2cid = 765242 }}</ref> ==== Benefits for the lactose intolerant==== {{main|Lactose intolerance}} In small amounts, lactic acid is good for the human body by providing energy and substrates while it moves through the cycle. In lactose intolerant people, the fermentation of lactose to lactic acid has been shown in small studies to help lactose intolerant people. The process of fermentation limits the amount of lactose available. With the amount of lactose lowered, there is less build up inside of the body, reducing bloating. Success of lactic fermentation was most evident in yogurt cultures. Further studies are being conducted on other milk products like acidophilus milk.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Alm L | title = Effect of fermentation on lactose, glucose, and galactose content in milk and suitability of fermented milk products for lactose intolerant individuals | journal = Journal of Dairy Science | volume = 65 | issue = 3 | pages = 346–52 | date = March 1982 | pmid = 7076958 | doi = 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(82)82198-X | doi-access = free }}</ref>
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)