Which failure mode becomes likely when thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) is deficient, disrupting the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in humans?

💡 Explanation

A TPP deficiency impairs the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, disrupting the normal metabolic pathway from pyruvate to acetyl-CoA because TPP acts as a crucial cofactor. Therefore, pyruvate is shunted towards lactate production rather than entering the Krebs cycle, leading to elevated blood lactate accumulation rather than the other metabolic shifts.

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