An LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) test measures the amount of LDH in your blood or other body fluid to check for tissue damage. While it's normal to have some LDH in your blood or body fluids, when tissues in your body experience damage or injury, they release excess LDH into your bloodstream or other body fluids. Lactic acid is a chemical your body produces when your cells break down carbohydrates for energy. You might see it referred to as lactate. Muscle cells and red blood cells make the most lactic acid, but it can come from any tissue in your body. Most people think of lactic acid in their muscles during a tough workout. Lactate is a classical byproduct of glucose metabolism, and the main lactate production pathway depends on glycolysis (Fig. 1 ). The glycolysis pathway is activated to compensate for a lack of ATP production when hypoxia inhibits the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Lactic acid is mainly produced in muscle cells and red blood cells. It forms when the body breaks down carbohydrates to use for energy when oxygen levels are low. Times when your body's oxygen level might drop include: A test can be done to measure the amount of lactic acid in the blood. It's a test that measures the amount of lactic acid (also called "lactate") in your blood. This acid is made in muscle cells and red blood cells. It forms when your body turns food into This test measures the level of lactic acid, also known as lactate, in your blood. Lactic acid is a substance made by muscle tissue and by red blood cells, which carry oxygen from your lungs to other parts of your body. Normally, the level of lactic acid in the blood is low. Lactic acid levels rise when oxygen levels decrease. As an important metabolic substrate, lactate is an intercellular and inter-tissue redox signaling molecule that provides energy for oxidative metabolism in many tissues and helps maintain redox f6x7.

what is lactate in blood