What substance does the liver convert lactate to?

The liver converts lactate primarily into glucose through a process known as gluconeogenesis. This process is crucial, especially in conditions like hypoxia or intense exercise, where lactate levels increase due to anaerobic metabolism. The lactate produced by muscles can then be transported to the liver and turned back into glucose, which can be utilized for energy by other tissues.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates glucose metabolism but is not a product of lactate conversion. Bicarbonate plays a role in buffering acids in the blood, particularly in countering acidosis, but it does not result from lactate conversion. Urea is a byproduct of protein metabolism and is produced from ammonia in the liver, not from lactate. Thus, glucose is the primary product of lactate conversion in the liver, highlighting the crucial role of the liver in maintaining metabolic homeostasis.