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

Carbohydrate metabolism in the human body is a delicate 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 prolonged interruptions in the level of glucose in the blood cause dangerous pathologies. In this regard, each person needs to be able to regulate the concentration of carbohydrates.

How carbohydrates are digested

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

1. At the first stage, carbohydrates that enter the human body begin to break down into simple saccharides. This happens already in the mouth under the influence of saliva.
2. In the stomach, complex saccharides that do not dissolve in the mouth begin to be affected by gastric juice. It even breaks down lactose to the state of galatose, which is subsequently converted to the necessary glucose.
3. In the blood, glucose is absorbed 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. Next, the processes go to the cellular level. Glucose replaces oxygen molecules in the blood. This becomes a signal to the pancreas about the beginning of the production and release of insulin into the blood - a substance necessary for the delivery of glycogen, into which glucose was 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 it 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 turns them into simple fats, linking them in a chain with the necessary acids. Such chains, when necessary, are consumed by the body to be converted 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, if necessary, namely when oxygen deficiency, which means physical activity, produces energy for the muscles.

Carbohydrate metabolism

Briefly about the carbohydrate metabolism in the human body, the following can be reported. All mechanisms of the breakdown, synthesis and absorption of carbohydrates, glucose and glycogen are regulated by various enzymes and hormones. This is a growth hormone, 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 the adrenaline that 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. A shortage or oversupply of one or another element will necessarily cause a failure in the entire system of assimilation and processing of carbohydrates.

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 glucose level is critically low, and hyperglycemia - the concentration of carbohydrate in the blood is exceeded. Both are extremely dangerous, for example, lowered glucose levels immediately negatively affect brain functions.

Reasons for deviations

The causes of deviations in the regulation of glucose levels have different premises:

1. The hereditary disease is galactosemia. Symptoms of pathology: weight deficiency, liver disease with yellowing of the skin, delayed mental and physical development, visual impairment. This disease often leads to death in the first year of life. This eloquently indicates the importance of carbohydrate metabolism in the human body.
2. Another example of a genetic disease is fructose intolerance. At the same time, the patient has impaired functioning of the kidneys and liver.
3. Malabsorption syndrome. The disease is characterized by the inability to assimilate monosaccharides through the mucous membrane of the small intestine. It leads to impaired renal and hepatic function, diarrhea, flatulence is manifested. Fortunately, the disease can be treated by taking a number of necessary enzymes for patients, which reduce the lactose intolerance characteristic of this pathology.
4. Sandahoff disease is characterized by impaired production of enzyme A and B.
5. Tay-Sachs disease develops as a result of impaired production of AN-acetylhexosaminidase in the body.
6. The most famous disease is diabetes. With this ailment, glucose does not enter the cells, since the pancreas has ceased to secrete insulin. The same hormone, without which glucose cannot penetrate into cells.

Most diseases associated with impaired glucose levels in the body are incurable. In the best case, doctors manage to stabilize the condition of patients by introducing the missing enzymes or hormones into their bodies.

Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism in children

Features of the 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 the appearance of carbohydrate metabolism disorders in 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, oxygen breathing. Glycogen levels normalize only after a few days.

In addition to hereditary diseases associated with metabolism, which can occur 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 during the period of intrauterine development. That is why the expectant mother must pass all the tests prescribed by the doctor during pregnancy and undergo instrumental examinations during pregnancy.

Carbohydrate Metabolism Recovery

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

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

It should be understood that it is rather 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 should receive injections of the hormone insulin until the end of his life. Moreover, the dosage and dosage regimen are prescribed individually, depending on the condition of the patient. Indeed, in general, treatment is aimed at eliminating the causes of impaired carbohydrate metabolism in the human body, and not only at its temporary normalization.

Special diet and glycemic index

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

In addition to GI, any doctor or diabetic patient knows by heart what product and how much carbohydrate is in it. Based on all this information, a special nutrition plan is drawn up.

Here, for example, are several items from the diet of such people (per 100 g):

1. Dry sunflower seeds - 15 GI, 3.4 g of carbohydrates, 570 kcal.
2. Peanuts - 20 gi, 9.9 g of carbohydrates, 552 kcal.
3. Broccoli - 15 GI, 6.6 g of carbohydrates, 34 kcal.
4. White mushroom - 10 GI, 1.1 g of carbohydrates, 34 kcal.
5. Lettuce - 10 GI, 2 g of carbohydrates, 16 kcal.
6. Lettuce - 10 GI, 2.9 g of carbohydrates, 15 kcal.
7. Tomatoes - 10 GI, 4.2 g of carbohydrates, 19.9 kcal.
8. Eggplant - 10 GI, 5.9 g of carbohydrates, 25 kcal.
9. Bulgarian pepper -10 GI, 6.7 g of carbohydrates, 29 kcal.

This list contains low GI products. In diabetes, a person can safely eat food with ingredients in which the GI does not exceed 40, a maximum of 50. The rest is under the strictest ban.

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 necessarily 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.

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

Conclusion

Carbohydrate metabolism plays a crucial role in the body, in case of its violation, failures in the work of many systems and organs occur. It is important to maintain normal amounts of carbohydrates entering the body.