Lactate

Jared RutterAmerican biochemist, professor of biochemistry at the University of Utah and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator specializing in mitochondria and metabolism

• Rutter argues cells burn fatty acids first because excess free fatty acids are acutely toxic, whereas excess glucose is toxic chronically.

  “most cells, when they have fatty acids, will burn the fatty acids first, probably as a response to, hey, this could kill us”

  Huberman Lab: How Mitochondria Control Your Metabolism | Dr. Jared Rutter (Sep 7, 2026) · Listen from 1:30:07

• Rutter says lactate, long viewed as a waste product, is now known to be an important fuel that the heart readily burns.

  “lactate is a very important fuel on its own. The heart, for example, is quite good at consuming lactate and burning it”

  Huberman Lab: How Mitochondria Control Your Metabolism | Dr. Jared Rutter (Sep 7, 2026) · Listen from 1:26:13