What Is Pyruvate Dehydrogenase?

Pyruvate dehydrogenase is a chemical compound that makes up part of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, or PDC, and contributes to the metabolic pathway in your skeletal muscles that is required for energy production and movement. Pyruvate dehydrogenase is a large compound that is made up of multiple copies of three enzymes that play different roles in energy metabolism. Without pyruvate dehydrogenase, your muscles would be unable to contract because chemical energy could not be produced.

Function

Glucose, or sugar, is taken from your blood stream by your muscle cells and converted into a compound called pyruvate. Pyruvate provides your body with two adenosine tri-phosphate, or ATP, molecules, which are compounds that produce chemical energy. The enzyme complex pyruvate dehydrogenase metabolizes the pyruvate molecule into a compound called acetyl-co-enzyme-A, or acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA enters the Kreb's cycle, or citric acid cycle, where it is then further broken down to produce more energy.

Krebs Cycle

The Krebs cycle is a process that occurs in your skeletal muscles that metabolizes pyruvate into pure chemical energy. Pyruvate comes from the breakdown of glucose and is broken down again by pyruvate dehydrogenase before it can enter the Krebs cycle. Pyruvate dehydrogenase is stored inside the mitochondria in your cells and is activated when your cell detects the presence of pyruvate. Pyruvate dehydrogenase works with other compounds, such as thiamine pyrophosphate and lipoic acid to help break down pyruvate.

Deficiency

Some individuals may have a deficiency in pyruvate dehydrogenase, resulting in a condition known as pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency, or PDCD. PDCD is a type of neurodegenerative disorder that is associated with deficiencies in mitochondrial metabolism. A deficiency in pyruvate dehydrogenase deprives your body of energy, resulting in severe fatigue and lethargy, which is often difficult to diagnose. Treatment of PDCD typically involves supplementing with the amino acids thiamine and carnitine, as well as lipoic acid.

Other Considerations

Individuals following a low-carbohydrate diet may experience fatigue and lethargy due to a decrease in pyruvate dehydrogenase activity. In a study published in the "American Journal of Physiology," researchers found that participants who followed a high-protein, high-fat and low-carbohydrate diet produced decreased amounts of pyruvate dehydrogenase, as well as a decrease in glucose metabolism in the muscle. A decrease in pyruvate dehydrogenase may result in feelings of tiredness and fatigue due to a decrease in the production of energy through carbohydrate metabolism.