Glucose - The Universal Fuel

Glucose with its chemical formula C6H12O6 is the body main fuel. If our body can be compared as a mechanical machine, glucose acts just like the petrol that works in the engine, no petrol no power, no glucose no energy.

Most of the carbohydrate in our food -except fibre, is transformed to glucose in the digestive tract. This glucose will be given to the blood to be carried out to every cells in our body.

Glucose is mainly stored in the liver. Glucose is stored in the form of glycogen, which can easily be converted back to glucose when blood glucose level is dropped. Therefore, liver acts as a regulatory organ to maintain constant glucose level in the blood- approximately 100mg/100ml. A small amount of glycogen also is stored in the muscle cells, which will be transformed to glucose when there is physical activity.

Hypoglycemia occurs when our body glucose supply is fully utilized and lead to a drop in blood glucose level. If this condition occurs suddenly without any action to replenish the glucose supply, our body will experience these symptoms. Dizziness, excessive hunger, loss of energy and vitality, loss of consciousness and fainting, or lipotomia.

Hypergycemia is a condition where the blood contains more than normal glucose level. This condition mainly occured in childrens and often lead to hyperactivity. In adults, chronic hyperglycemia will increase risk of getting diabetes.

Glucose is transported by the blood to all body cells. Thanks to the energy supplied during the breakdown of glucose, this energy, in the form of ATP enables the body to function, starting from the cellular level. Muscle expands and contracts, heat is generated, brain do its function - essentially in the thinking process (who said thinking does not require energy?). Our brain uses about 140 grams of glucose per day and to enable glucose to be fully 'combusted', enough oxygen is needed. Say Glucose + Oxygen = ATP.

The Insulin hormon is needed to enable glucose to get transported and burned inside the cells. When there is not enough insulin in the blood due to insufficient production by pancreas, or due to inability of cells to use it, glucose will accumulate in the blood and is not being used by the cells.

Inside the cells, glucose needs vitamin B for the metabolism process to produce energy. But most often, the glucose that we eat does not come with vitamin B particularly if we consume processed sugar/glucose (parts of original sucrose). This will lead to our body using its own vitamin B storage and eventually leads to Vitamin B deficiency - a condition mostly happened among urban people, and people that eat less plant origin foods. Processed sugar is not a good diet, it does provide calories, but does not provide the other materials to tap its energy.

Have a good day, Choose wisely, Eat wisely.