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Glucose
Name: shahram
Status: N/A
Age: 50s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2000-2001
Question:
I have read in a scientific journal
something to the effect of "everything we consume as
food is converted into glucose by the body before absorbed-
(that is all fats, carbohydrates and proteins)"- is this
statement true?, if yes why are we so obsessed by our
consumption of different kinds of fats, should we not concentrate more on
how glucose is metabolized (absorbed) in the body.
Replies:
It is NOT true. It could hardly be further from the truth for numbers of
reasons. The simplest reason I can think of is that all life forms we know
of contain considerable amounts of Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen Phosphorus and
Sulfur. In our nutrition we have to take these in to grow and survive.
Glucose is composed of only Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. Additionally,
there are a wide number of what are called micronutrients that we have to
have in our diet to survive such as magnesium, iron, iodine etc... so where
do we get the rest of these elements? Maybe we have stars inside our
intestines and we make all the heavier elements...just kidding (8 Beside
the elments issue we also cannot make certain molecules such as certain oils
called fatty acids these essential fatty acid must be in our diet or we
become ill and/or die. We also have a series of essential amino acids which
we need in our diet.
Now on the other hand what the article might have tried to say was that
glucose is the major source of energy for humans... which is border line
true but still a gross overstatement. Many of our cells energy sources are
glucose but they can also work on fatty acids and amino acids. Many of our
genes exist to produce the enzymes that allow lipids (fatty acids),
proteins, and carbohydrates to be used for energy depending on what is
available.
Peter F
Actually, all substances are broken down into glucose, glycerol and fatty
acids (fats) and amino acids (for simplicity's sake) but fats and protein CAN
be converted to glucose if needed. The body's first need is for energy to
run itself and that only comes from glucose. In a starvation scenario, the
first substance used for energy is glucose. When that runs out, carbohydrate
stores (starch) is broken down to glucose. Then when that runs out, fats are
converted to glucose. When fat runs out the body begins to break down
protein in a process known as gluconeogenesis. When 1/3 (I'm not sure of the
exact amount) of the body's protein is gone, death follows shortly.
Van Hoeck
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Update: June 2012
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