Question

Carbohydrate are stored in human body as the:
(A)- Starch
(B)- Glucose
(C)- Glycogen
(D)- Fructose

Answer 1

Hint: The carbohydrates are broken down into simpler units of sugar which are absorbed in the bloodstream and carried through the body providing energy where needed. It is the muscles and liver which often act as the storage.


Complete step by step answer:
The carbohydrates act as the primary supply of energy in the body. It breaks down into smaller units of sugar such as glucose and fructose. This glucose (source of energy) is absorbed by the small intestine and into the bloodstream to the liver, where it breaks the bonds between carbon atoms present. This energy is utilised for the basic body functioning and physical activities.
When the energy to support various functions is enough, the excess of it is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. The glycogen is a multibranched polysaccharide of glucose, allowing its rapid dissemination and serving as the main storage form of glucose in the body.
Therefore, the carbohydrates are stored as option (C)- glycogen in the body.

Additional information: The two stage of glucose breakdown are:
- The glycolysis process in the presence of enzymes with a series of ten enzymatic reaction steps.
- Further in the mitochondria glucose breaks down with removal of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms yielding energy. These energies are carried to another area of the mitochondria, to make it avail in a form which cells can use.


Note: Carbohydrates are stored as fat, when the glycogen storage is full. But the body may take energy from the proteins if there is insufficient carbohydrate intake or storage which will in turn put stress on the kidneys producing painful by-products in the urine.