The
Cahill cycle, also known as the
alanine cycle or
glucose-alanine cycle, is the series of reactions in which amino groups and carbons from muscle are transported to the liver. It is quite similar to the
Cori cycle in the cycling of nutrients between skeletal muscle and the liver. When muscles degrade amino acids for energy needs, the resulting nitrogen is transaminated to pyruvate to form
alanine. This alanine is shuttled to the liver where the nitrogen enters the urea cycle and the pyruvate is used to make
glucose.