Carbohydrate metabolism in the human body: features, description and meaning

2024 Author: Curtis Blomfield | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 20:44

Carbohydrate metabolism in the human body is a subtle but important process. Without glucose, the body weakens, and in the central nervous system, a decrease in its level causes hallucinations, dizziness and loss of consciousness. Violation of carbohydrate metabolism in the human body manifests itself almost immediately, and long-term failures in blood glucose levels cause dangerous pathologies. In this regard, every person needs to be able to regulate the concentration of carbohydrates.

How carbohydrates are digested

Carbohydrate metabolism in the human body is its transformation into energy necessary for life. This happens in several stages:

1. At the first stage, carbohydrates that have entered the human body begin to break down into simple saccharides. It happens already in the mouth under the influencesaliva.
2. In the stomach, complex saccharides that have not broken down in the mouth begin to be affected by gastric juice. It breaks down even lactose to the state of galatose, which is subsequently converted into the necessary glucose.
3. Glucose is absorbed into the blood through the walls of the small intestine. Part of it, even bypassing the stage of accumulation in the liver, is immediately transformed into energy for life.
4. Further, the processes move to the cellular level. Glucose replaces the oxygen molecules in the blood. This becomes a signal for the pancreas to start producing and releasing insulin into the blood, a substance necessary to deliver glycogen, into which glucose has been converted, into the cells. That is, the hormone helps the body absorb glucose at the molecular level.
5. Glycogen is synthesized in the liver, it is the liver that processes carbohydrates into the necessary substance and is even able to make a small supply of glycogen.
6. If there is too much glucose, the liver converts them into simple fats by linking them into a chain with the right acids. Such chains are consumed by the body in the first place for conversion into energy. If they remain unclaimed, they are transferred under the skin in the form of fatty tissues.
7. Glycogen delivered by insulin to the cells of muscle tissues, when necessary, namely, in case of oxygen deficiency, which means physical activity, produces energy for the muscles.

Regulation of carbohydrate metabolism

Briefly about carbohydrate metabolism in the human body, the following can be reported. All splitting mechanisms,The synthesis and assimilation of carbohydrates, glucose and glycogen are regulated by various enzymes and hormones. It is a somatotropic, steroid hormone and, most importantly, insulin. It is he who helps glycogen to overcome the cell membrane and penetrate into the cell.

It is impossible not to mention adrenaline, which regulates the entire cascade of phosphorolysis. Acetyl-CoA, fatty acids, enzymes and other substances take part in the regulation of chemical processes for the absorption of carbohydrates. Lack or excess of one or another element will necessarily cause a failure in the entire system of absorption and processing of carbohydrates.

Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of carbohydrate metabolism in the human body, because without energy there is no life. And any violation of the process of assimilation of carbohydrates, and hence the level of glucose in the body, leads to life-threatening conditions. Two main deviations: hypoglycemia - the level of glucose is critically low, and hyperglycemia - the concentration of carbohydrate in the blood is exceeded. Both are extremely dangerous, for example, low glucose levels immediately negatively affect brain function.

Reason for deviations

Causes of deviations in glucose regulation have different backgrounds:

1. Hereditary disease - galactosemia. Symptoms of pathology: weight deficiency, liver disease with yellowing of the skin, delayed mental and physical development, impaired vision. This disease often leads to death in the first year of life. It's eloquenttalks about the importance of carbohydrate metabolism in the human body.
2. Another example of a genetic disorder is fructose intolerance. At the same time, the work of the kidneys and liver is disturbed in the patient.
3. Malabsorption syndrome. The disease is characterized by the inability to absorb monosaccharides through the mucous membrane of the small intestine. Leads to impaired renal and hepatic function, manifested diarrhea, flatulence. Fortunately, the disease is treatable by taking patients a number of essential enzymes that reduce lactose intolerance, which is characteristic of this pathology.
4. Sandahoff disease is characterized by impaired production of enzymes A and B.
5. Tay-Sachs disease develops as a result of a malfunction in the production of AN-acetylhexosaminidase in the body.
6. The most famous disease is diabetes. With this disease, glucose does not enter the cells, since the pancreas has ceased to secrete insulin. The same hormone, without which the penetration of glucose into cells is impossible.

Most diseases, accompanied by a violation of the level of glucose in the body, are incurable. At best, doctors manage to stabilize the condition of patients by introducing missing enzymes or hormones into their bodies.

Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism in children

Features of metabolism and nutrition of newborns leads to the fact that in their organisms glycolysis proceeds 30% more intensively than in an adult. Therefore, it is important to determine the causes of carbohydrate metabolism disorders.at the baby. After all, the first days of a person are filled with events that require a lot of energy: birth, stress, increased physical activity, food intake, breathing oxygen. Glycogen levels return to normal only after a few days.

In addition to hereditary metabolic diseases that can manifest themselves from the first days of life, a child is subject to a variety of conditions that can lead to celiac disease. For example, an upset stomach or small intestine.

In order to prevent the development of celiac disease, the level of glucose in the baby's blood is studied even in the period of intrauterine development. That is why the expectant mother must take all the tests prescribed by the doctor and undergo instrumental examinations during pregnancy.

Restoration of carbohydrate metabolism

How to restore carbohydrate metabolism in the human body? It all depends on which direction the glucose level has shifted.

If a person has hyperglycemia, then he is prescribed a diet to reduce fat and carbohydrates in the diet. And with hypoglycemia, that is, low glucose levels, on the contrary, it is prescribed to consume more carbohydrates and proteins.

It should be understood that it is quite difficult to restore carbohydrate metabolism in the human body. One diet is usually not enough, often the patient must undergo treatment with medications: hormones, enzymes, and so on. For example, with diabetes, the patient must receive hormone injections for the rest of his life.insulin. Moreover, the dosage and regimen of the drug are prescribed individually depending on the patient's condition. Indeed, in general, treatment is aimed at eliminating the cause of carbohydrate metabolism disorders in the human body, and not only at its temporary normalization.

Special diet and glycemic index

What is carbohydrate metabolism in the human body, know those who are forced to live with a chronic incurable disease characterized by impaired blood glucose levels. Such people learned first hand what the glycemic index is. This unit determines how much glucose is in a particular product.

Besides GI, any doctor or diabetic patient knows by heart which product contains and how much carbohydrates. Based on all this information, a special meal plan is drawn up.

Here, for example, are a few positions from the diet of such people (per 100 g):

1. Dried sunflower seeds - 15 GI, 3.4 g carbs, 570 kcal.
2. Peanut - 20 GI, 9.9 g carbs, 552 kcal.
3. Broccoli - 15 GI, 6.6 g carbs, 34 kcal.
4. Cep Mushroom - 10 GI, 1.1 g carbs, 34 kcal.
5. Lettuce - 10 GI, 2 g carbs, 16 kcal.
6. Lettuce - 10 GI, 2.9 g carbs, 15 kcal.
7. Tomatoes - 10 GI, 4.2 g carbs, 19.9 kcal.
8. Eggplant - 10 GI, 5.9 g carbs, 25 kcal.
9. Bulgarian pepper -10 GI, 6.7 g carbs, 29 kcal.

This list contains low GI foods. A person with diabetes can safely eatfood with ingredients in which the GI does not exceed 40, a maximum of 50. The rest is strictly prohibited.

What will happen if you independently regulate carbohydrate metabolism

There is another aspect that should not be forgotten in the process of regulating carbohydrate metabolism. The body must receive the energy intended for life. And if food does not enter the body on time, then it will begin to break down fat cells, and then muscle cells. That is, physical exhaustion of the body will come.

The passion for mono-diets, vegetarianism, fruitarianism and other experimental nutritional methods designed to regulate metabolism leads not only to poor he alth, but to disruption of vital functions in the body and destruction of internal organs and structures. Only a specialist can develop a diet and prescribe drugs. Any self-medication leads to deterioration or even death.

Conclusion

Carbohydrate metabolism plays an important role in the body; if it is disturbed, failures in the work of many systems and organs occur. It is important to maintain a normal amount of carbohydrates entering the body.