Which evaluation of lactate is most accurate in the exercise context?

• A. Lactate serves only as a neurotransmitter in the brain and has no metabolic significance for working muscles or the liver during and after exercise.
• B. Lactate production only occurs at rest and is suppressed entirely during exercise because muscles always have adequate oxygen availability.
• C. Lactate is exclusively a waste product that permanently damages muscle tissue and must be eliminated immediately through medical intervention after any high-intensity exercise.
• D. Lactate is produced continuously but accumulates most when anaerobic glycolysis outpaces clearance; it can be transported to the liver and reconverted to glucose via the Cori cycle to help sustain activity.

Answer: (D)