How many NADH are produced per glucose molecule during the Citric Acid Cycle?

In the context of the Citric Acid Cycle, also known as the Krebs cycle, one glucose molecule is metabolized through glycolysis to produce two molecules of acetyl-CoA. Each acetyl-CoA then enters the Citric Acid Cycle, where it undergoes a series of enzymatic reactions.

For each turn of the cycle, three NADH molecules are generated. Since each glucose molecule produces two acetyl-CoA units, the cycle turns twice for each glucose molecule. Therefore, the total number of NADH produced is calculated as follows:

• 3 NADH from the first turn of the cycle (from one acetyl-CoA).

• 3 NADH from the second turn of the cycle (from the second acetyl-CoA).

Adding these together gives a total of 6 NADH produced per glucose molecule during the Citric Acid Cycle. This high yield of NADH is significant because it plays a crucial role in the electron transport chain, where it will ultimately contribute to ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation.