Glycolysis
Glucose → pyruvate; B1 + magnesium-dependent enzymatic steps
Glycolysis is the 10-step pathway that breaks each molecule of glucose into two pyruvate, generating a small amount of ATP and the NADH that the mitochondrion uses to make more. It runs in every cell, doesn't need oxygen (which is why your fast-twitch muscles use it during sprints), and is so fundamental that the steps are essentially identical from bacteria to humans. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is the cofactor for pyruvate dehydrogenase — the bridge between glycolysis and the TCA cycle. Magnesium is the cofactor for almost every kinase step in the chain. Without enough B1 (classic in alcoholism) the whole carbohydrate-burning system slows down.
The load-bearing nutrients — if these are deficient, this pathway slows down. Click any to see daily targets, food sources, and supplements that supply it.
Nutrients that contribute to this pathway but aren’t the single load-bearing inputs.
Pathways that share a load-bearing cofactor with this one.