why is glycolysis important even when one is on the top of the world?

Question

does it have any relation with hypoxia encountered in high altitudes?

Answer 1

We (because we're aerobic organisms) get energy from food molecules (sugars) by "burning" them, first by glycolysis, then the citric acid cycle, and electron transport. We really only need oxygen directly for the last part, but in the absence of oxygen, neither of the other two pathways works too well.

At high altitudes, the availability of oxygen is reduced, and so the blood cannot supply as much oxygen to the cells of your body as is really needed, thus causing hypoxia. When hypoxic, the ability to carry out glycolysis...would certainly be reduced.

Hope this helps...