# Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism



## Goldy (Oct 10, 2011)

Overview of Carbohydrate Metabolism

Introduction:

Carbohydrate metabolism begins with digestion in the small intestine where monosaccharides are absorbed into the blood stream. Blood sugar concentrations are controlled by three hormones: insulin, glucagon, and epinephrine. If the concentration of glucose in the blood is too high, insulin is secreted by the pancreas. Insulin stimulates the transfer of glucose into the cells, especially in the liver and muscles, although other organs are also able to metabolize glucose.

In the liver and muscles, most of the glucose is changed into glycogen by the process of glycogenesis (anabolism). Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles until needed at some later time when glucose levels are low. If blood glucose levels are low, then eqinephrine and glucogon hormones are secreted to stimulate the conversion of glycogen to glucose. This process is called glycogenolysis (catabolism).

If glucose is needed immediately upon entering the cells to supply energy, it begins the metabolic process called glycoysis (catabolism). The end products of glycolysis are pyruvic acid and ATP.

Since glycolysis releases relatively little ATP, further reactions continue to convert pyruvic acid to acetyl CoA and then citric acid in the citric acid cycle. The majority of the ATP is made from oxidations in the citric acid cycle in connection with the electron transport chain.

During strenuous muscular activity, pyruvic acid is converted into lactic acid rather thatn acetyl CoA. Durlng the resting period, the lactic acid is converted back to pyruvic acid. The pyruvic acid in turn is converted back to glucose by the process called gluconeogenesis (anabolism). If the glucose is not needed at that moment, it is converted into glycogen by glycogenesis. You can remember those terms if you think of "genesis" as the formation-beginning.

These processes are summarized in the Metaboism Summary in the graphic on the left. Each of these processes will be developed in greater detail various pages of this module.


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