When an individual is exercising heavily and when the muscle becomes oxygen-deprived, muscle cells convert pyruvate to lactate. What happens to the lactate in skeletal muscle cells?
A) It is converted to NAD⁺. B) It produces CO₂ and water. C) It is taken to the liver and converted back to pyruvate. D) It reduces FADH₂ to FAD⁺. E) It is converted to alcohol.