Supplement
Pyruvate is a small molecule your cells produce when they break down sugar, and it feeds into the chemistry that makes energy. People have looked at it for blood pressure in those with high cholesterol, where a small study of 40 people found improvement, though the evidence is limited. Single small studies on body fat and aerobic performance found no clear difference, so the evidence there is very limited.
Sources: PMID 15797672; PMID 10926637
- Updated
- How we grade
- 9 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 12
- Outcomes
- 31
- Graded outcomes
- 0026
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
Weight Loss & Maintenance
- Body Fat
- Weight: improves
- High-density lipoprotein (HDL): improves
General Athletic Performance
- Aerobic Exercise Metrics
- Body Fat: improves
- Power Output: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Exercise Metrics No effect | NoneNo effect | 1 study | 7 people | |||
Studies that measured aerobic exercise metrics | ||||||
| Body Fat | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 23 people | |||
| Power Output | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 42 people | |||
| Training Volume | Improves (the measure goes up) | 23 people | ||||
Obesity
- Body Fat
- Weight: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Fat No effect | NoneNo effect | 1 study | 13 people | |||
| Weight | Improves (the measure goes down) | 5 studies | 13 people | |||
Studies that measured weight
| ||||||
Metabolic Health
- Body Fat
- Weight: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Fat No effect | NoneNo effect | 1 study | 14 people | |||
| Weight | Improves (the measure goes down) | 5 studies | 14 people | |||
Studies that measured weight
| ||||||
Overweight
- Body Fat
- Weight: improves
- Fatigue Symptoms: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Fat No effect | NoneNo effect | 1 study | 26 people | |||
| Weight | Improves (the measure goes down) | 5 studies | 26 people | |||
Studies that measured weight
| ||||||
| Fatigue Symptoms | Improves (the measure goes down) | 26 people | ||||
Aerobic Exercise Performance
- Aerobic Exercise Metrics: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Exercise Metrics | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 7 people | |||
Studies that measured aerobic exercise metrics | ||||||
Anaerobic Exercise Performance
- Power Output: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Output | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 42 people | |||
Cycling Performance
- Aerobic Exercise Metrics: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Exercise Metrics | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 7 people | |||
Studies that measured aerobic exercise metrics | ||||||
Dyslipidemia
- Body Fat: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Fat | Improves (the measure goes down) | 1 study | 23 people | |||
Football Performance
- Power Output: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Output | Improves (the measure goes up) | 1 study | 42 people | |||
Key findings
- Fatigue SymptomsImproves (the measure goes down)
- Blood PressureImproves (the measure goes down)
- Body Fat
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- Grade C
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Studies cited
9 studies from PubMed
- The effects of pyruvate supplementation on body composition in overweight individuals
- Body composition, energy utilization, and nitrogen metabolism with a 4.25-MJ/d low-energy diet supplemented with pyruvate
- Effects of calcium pyruvate supplementation during training on body composition, exercise capacity, and metabolic responses to exercise
- Effects of in-season (5 weeks) creatine and pyruvate supplementation on anaerobic performance and body composition in American football players
- Body composition, energy utilization, and nitrogen metabolism with a severely restricted diet supplemented with dihydroxyacetone and pyruvate
- Pyruvate supplementation of a low-cholesterol, low-fat diet: effects on plasma lipid concentrations and body composition in hyperlipidemic patients
- Plasma lipid concentrations in hyperlipidemic patients consuming a high-fat diet supplemented with pyruvate for 6 wk
- The effect of 4 weeks treatment with a 2-gram daily dose of pyruvate on body composition in healthy trained men
- Pyruvate ingestion for 7 days does not improve aerobic performance in well-trained individuals