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Carbohydrate metabolism denotes the various biochemical processes responsible for the formation, breakdown and interconversion of carbohydrates in living organisms. The most important carbohydrate is glucose, a simple sugar (monosaccharide) that is metabolized by nearly all known organisms. Glucose and other carbohydrates are part of a wide variety of metabolic pathways across species: plants synthesize carbohydrates from atmospheric gases by photosynthesis storing the absorbed energy internally, often in the form of starch or lipids. Plant components are eaten by animals and fungi, and used as fuel for cellular respiration. Oxidation of one gram of carbohydrate yields approximately 4 kcal of energy and from lipids about 9 kcal. Energy obtained from metabolism (eg, oxidation of glucose) is usually stored temporarily within cells in the form of ATP. Organisms capable of aerobic respiration metabolize glucose and oxygen to release energy with carbon dioxide and water as byproducts. Carbohydrates are a superior short-term fuel for organisms because they are simpler to metabolize than fats or those amino acid portions of proteins that are used for fuel. In animals, the most important carbohydrate is glucose; so much so, that the level of glucose is used as the main control for the central metabolic hormone, insulin. Starch, and cellulose in a few animals (eg, termites, ruminants, and some bacteria), being both glucose polymers are disassembled during digestion and absorbed as glucose. Some simple carbohydrates have their own enzymatic oxidation pathways, as do only a few of the more complex carbohydrates. The disaccharide lactose, for instance, requires the enzyme lactase to be broken into into its monosaccharides components; many animals lack this enzyme in adulthood. Carbohydrates are typically stored as long polymers of glucose molecules with Glycosidic bonds for structural support (e.g. chitin, cellulose) or for energy storage (e.g. glycogen, starch). However, the strong affinity of most carbohydrates for water makes storage of large quantities of carbohydrates inefficient due to the large molecular weight of the solvated water-carbohydrate complex. In most organisms, excess carbohydrates are regularly catabolised to form Acetyl-CoA, which is a feed stock for the fatty acid synthesis pathway; fatty acids, triglycerides, and other lipids are commonly used for long-term energy storage. The hydrophobic character of lipids makes them a much more compact form of energy storage than hydrophilic carbohydrates. However, animals, including humans, lack the necessary enzymatic machinery and so do not synthesize glucose from lipids. All carbohydrates share a general formula of approximately CnH2nOn; glucose is C6H12O6. Monosaccharides may be chemically bonded together to form disaccharides such as sucrose and longer polysaccharides such as starch and cellulose.

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What carbohydrates or lipids or nucleic acids or proteins provide the most readily available energy?

Carbohydrates provide the most readily available energy as they are efficiently broken down into glucose, which is the body's primary source of energy. Unlike lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins, carbohydrates can be quickly metabolized to produce immediate energy.


Which macromolecule contains the most energy?

Lipids store more energy per gram than carbohydrates or proteins.


Which organic compound has the most highly concentrated energy?

Fats (lipids) have the most highly concentrated energy of all organic compounds, providing 9 calories per gram when metabolized. This is more than double the energy content of carbohydrates and proteins, which provide 4 calories per gram when metabolized.


Process by which the carbohydrates manufactured by photosynthesis are metabolized by an organism for energy?

Carbohydrates produced through photosynthesis are broken down through cellular respiration to release energy in the form of ATP. This process involves glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Glucose is ultimately converted to carbon dioxide and water, with ATP being generated along the way for cellular processes.


Are starches and sugars examples of carbohydrates?

Yes,they are.But you can think of them as carbohydrates at different levels......sugars are simpler than cellulose which is found in plants.Also satarch is the bit more complex carbohydrate(not as much as cellulose)which is stored in plants for their use whenever they need it...

Related Questions

Are carbohydrates metabolized same as sugar?

Sugar is a carbohydrate.


Any food that contains sugars or other carbohydrates that can be metabolized by bacteria in plaque is described as being?

cariogenic


When 1 gram of each what is metabolized which yields the greatest amount of energy?

1 gram of fat yields the greatest amount of energy when metabolized, providing 9 calories, compared to 4 calories from 1 gram of carbohydrates or protein.


What carbohydrates or lipids or nucleic acids or proteins provide the most readily available energy?

Carbohydrates provide the most readily available energy as they are efficiently broken down into glucose, which is the body's primary source of energy. Unlike lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins, carbohydrates can be quickly metabolized to produce immediate energy.


What are the only macronutrients that can be metabolized anaerobically?

The macronutrients of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids can be metabolized, or broken down, for ATP production within the human body. ATP, which stands for adenosine triphosphate, is the process of converting energy back to its original source, in this case, the human body.


Which of the following does not serve as a source of acids in the body?

Carbohydrates do not directly serve as a source of acids in the body. When metabolized, carbohydrates produce carbon dioxide and water, rather than acidic byproducts like some proteins and fats do.


Which macromolecule contains the most energy?

Lipids store more energy per gram than carbohydrates or proteins.


How is bilirubin metabolized?

metabolized in the liver


Why are carbohydrates preferred over fats for providing quick energy?

Carbohydrates are preferred over fats for providing quick energy because they can be broken down and converted into energy more rapidly than fats. This is because carbohydrates are more easily and quickly metabolized by the body, making them a quicker source of energy for immediate use.


Does fat release more energy when metabolized?

Fat is the richest source of all the macronutrients. One gram of fat contains 9 calories wheras the other macro nutrients like carbohydrates or protein give only 4 calories. So when fat is metabolized it gives in lot of energy.


Are fats at a lower oxidation state then carbohydrates?

because the carbohydrates include more hydrocene and need to be hydroclusemic before absorbing oxygen, whereas, fats do not. Therefore the fats and cellular oxidation is one, and carbohydrates are none...


Why do lipids store more energy than carbohydrates?

I don't really know what you're asking, but I'll do my best. The body stores both lipids and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are more readily metabolized, but lipids are far more energy-dense- they can store far more energy per gram.