Lactic Acid

Lactic acid is an organic acid with the chemical formula C3H6O3 and is found in nature. It is also referred to as milk acid. When milk sugar (lactose) is subjected to fermentation, the resultant product is known as lactic acid. Cottage cheese, leban, sour milk, yoghurt, and Koumiss are all examples of foods that contain it. Levo and Dextro are two types of optical isomers of lactic acid that can be found in nature. lactic acid was isolated for the first time from sour milk in the year 1780, thanks to the efforts of Carl Wilhelm Scheele, a Swedish chemist. In its solid state, this compound is water-soluble and white, whereas in its liquid state, it is colourless and water-soluble. Calcium lactate, a soluble salt of lactic acid, can be used as a calcium source because it is non-toxic. The pH of 1 mM of lactic acid is approximately 3.51, according to the formula.

How muscle produces lactic acid

During the majority of the day, our body burns energy aerobically — that is, in the presence of oxygen — to provide energy for our activities. A portion of that energy comes from sugar, which our muscle cells break down in a series of chemical reactions known as glycolysis to provide us with energy. (We can also obtain energy from fat, but this requires a completely different chemical process.) When glycolysis finishes, the end product is pyruvate, which is a chemical that the body uses to generate even more energy. However, only in the presence of oxygen can pyruvate be converted into useful energy. During strenuous exercise, this changes. 

When we break into a full-throttle sprint, our muscles begin to work overtime to keep up. The more you exert yourself, the more energy your muscles require to keep up with your pace. Our muscles, known as fast-twitch muscle, are equipped with built-in turbo-boosters to help them perform better. Fast-twitch muscle, as opposed to slow-twitch muscle, which we use for the majority of the day, is extremely efficient at producing large amounts of energy quickly and anaerobically, according to Gleeson. Fast-twitch muscle also produces energy through glycolysis, but it avoids harvesting energy from pyruvate, which is a process that requires the use of oxygen. As a result, pyruvate is converted into a waste product called lactic acid, which is then released into the bloodstream.

Other sources of lactic acid

Lactic acid is produced by a variety of sources, not just muscle cells. While travelling through the body, red blood cells produce lactic acid, according to the online anatomy and physiology text Anatomy and Physiology published by Oregon State University. Because red blood cells lack mitochondria — the part of the cell responsible for aerobic respiration — they can only respire anaerobically, as opposed to aerobically.

The lactic acid bacteria that live in our mouths are a little more sneaky in their behaviour. According to a study published in the journal Microbiology, these bacteria are detrimental to tooth enamel because of the acidifying effect they have on the saliva they produce.

Finally, lactic acid can be found in a variety of fermented dairy products, including buttermilk, yoghurt, and kefir, among others. Lactose, a milk sugar, is broken down by bacteria in these foods through anaerobic respiration, which produces lactic acid. However, this does not imply that lactic acid is a dairy product in and of itself; it is a completely vegan substance. According to a study published in the American Journal of Physiology, the fact that it gets its name from dairy is due to Carl Wilhelm, the first scientist to isolate lactic acid, doing so from some spoiled milk.

Applications of C3H6O3 (Lactic Acid)

• It is used in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
• It is used in the production of plastics.
• It aids in the coagulation of protein in milk, among other things.
• It is employed in the dyeing of textiles and the tanning of leather.
• Lactate is a critical component of the healing process following traumatic brain injury.
• Lactate is responsible for signalling the release of norepinephrine in the brain.

Conclusion

Lactic acid is classified as an organic acid. The molecular formula for this compound is CH3CHCOOH. It has a white solid state and is miscible with water in the liquid state. 

When milk sugar (lactose) is subjected to fermentation, the resultant product is known as lactic acid. Cottage cheese, leban, sour milk, yoghurt, and Koumiss are all examples of foods that contain it.Lactic acid is produced by a variety of sources, not just muscle cells. While travelling through the body, red blood cells produce lactic acid. 

It is utilised in the food and pharmaceutical industries, It is utilised in the production of plastics, It aids in the coagulation of protein in milk, among other things.