Metabolic analysis of 13C-labeled pyruvate for noninvasive assessment of mitochondrial function

Mitochondria may play important roles in metabolic diseases, neurodegeneration, and aging. Therefore, noninvasive methods to assess mitochondrial metabolic function in humans are urgently needed. We demonstrated that the C-13-breath test using [1-C-13] acetate and [1-C-13] pyruvate holds great potential for assessing the metabolic status in mitochondria. The C-13-breath test allows us to assess dynamic metabolic pathways noninvasively within 60 min. This test will not only facilitate clinical evaluation of patients but also provide huge opportunities for further understanding of these conditions. The potential of the C-13-breath test using C-13-labeled pyruvate in humans cannot be overemphasized.