Living things need energy, one of which comes from carbohydrates. In addition to carbohydrates, other sources of energy are fat and protein.
Meanwhile, carbohydrates can be found, among others, in rice, wheat, cassava, corn, sago, and so on. To be able to break down carbohydrates in food to become a source of energy for the body, it is done through the process of carbohydrate metabolism.
If someone asks what organic compounds are most commonly found on earth, the answer is carbohydrates. The function of carbohydrates itself varies from a source of fuel, food reserves, construction materials, and others. Without carbohydrates, living things will not get enough energy to live and continue their life.
Maybe you've learned about carbohydrate metabolism in school. However, it doesn't hurt us to flashback a little about what carbohydrate metabolism is and what its benefits are for the body. Hopefully this little article can help you a little, remember or understand in outline everything related to the theme of carbohydrate metabolism.
Types of Carbohydrates
In cells, carbohydrate reserves are stored in the form of glycogen. A large amount of carbohydrates can be found in the seeds, sweet potatoes, and skins of plants. Chemically, carbohydrates have the formula Cn(H2O)n. Glucose and sucrose are part of this group of compounds.
By hydrolysis, carbohydrates are divided into:
1. Monosaccharides
This is the simplest form of carbohydrates. Its sweet taste earned it the nickname simple sugars, such as glucose, fructose, galactose.
2. Oligosaccharides
When hydrolyzed, these compounds will create 3-10 monosaccharides, such as sucrose, maltose, lactose.
3. Polysaccharides
This compound is a combination of monosaccharide molecules with glucosaccharide bonds. The molecular weight of polysaccharides is quite high, such as starch, dextrin, cellulose.
Functions of Carbohydrates
1. Functions in photosynthesis
In the process of photosynthesis in plants, the carbon dioxide absorbed by plants is converted into carbohydrates. This function of carbohydrates is then used to synthesize other organic materials.
The product of this photosynthesis is a carbohydrate with a sugar that has three carbons called glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. Autotrophic organisms such as green plants, algae, bacteria, use these compounds directly.
2. Fuel and food sources
All the basic needs of living things are provided by carbohydrates. For example, glucose is the main source of nutrition for cells. Glucose carried by the blood in vertebrates is able to provide nutrition for all cells in the body. In the process of cellular respiration, these cells take energy from these molecules to run the body.
3. Energy reserves
Carbohydrates also function as energy reserves for the body, especially the types of polysaccharides which then through the hydrolysis process are able to supply sugar to cells at any time when needed.
Polysaccharides in plants are called starch. Meanwhile, animals and humans hoard reserves of this polysaccharide as glycogen which is stored in muscle and liver cells.
Carbohydrate Metabolism
Process Metabolism is the overall biochemical process that occurs in organisms or living things. Anabolism or synthesis and catabolism or breakdown of complex organic molecules, is the scope of this process. Metabolism has an important role for all organisms in order to carry out their lives. The process of carbohydrate metabolism consists of:
1. Glycolysis
The glycolysis reaction is the process of converting glucose either under anaerobic or aerobic conditions. Lactic acid or alcohol is the product of glucose conversion under anaerobic conditions. Meanwhile, under aerobic conditions, glucose is converted into acetyl CoA.
2. Krebs cycle
The reaction that occurs between acetyl CoA and oxaloacetic acid is called the Krebs cycle. The result of this reaction produces citric acid. The Krebs cycle is also known as the citric acid cycle.
3. Glycogenesis
Conversion of glucose into glycogen occurs in the metabolic pathway of glycogenesis which is then stored in the liver.
Carbohydrate Metabolism Disorders
In the process of carbohydrate metabolism, sometimes certain enzymes in the body are missing or malfunction, thereby interfering with the processing of sugar in the body. This of course raises various problems, including the following.
1.Storage disease
GlycogenGlycogen consists of glucose molecules bound to each other. Glycogen storage disease is a problem in the process of converting glucose into glycogen and breaking down glycogen into glucose. One in 20,000 babies is diagnosed with this glycogen storage problem.
2. Galactosemia
Enzymes in charge of galactose metabolism are lacking or not functioning, causing toxins in the liver and kidneys and can also make the lens of the eye covered with a thick white layer or cataracts which can cause blindness.
3. Intolerance to fructose derivatives
Enzymes in the body that function to digest fructose are missing. As a result, fructose accumulates and becomes a barrier to the conversion process of glycogen into glucose which can be converted into energy. Excess fructose can cause liver and kidney damage, leading to jaundice, vomiting, fainting, and even death.
Carbohydrate Metabolism During Fasting
In non-fasting or normal conditions, food and drink are a source of energy for living things after going through metabolic processes in the body. Well, this condition is certainly different when we fast, namely not consuming or reducing food and drinks. So what kind of metabolic processes occur in the body during fasting?
During fasting, when our body lacks food intake, the body responds by forming blood sugar derived from glycogen stored in liver cells and used as a backup energy source.
When Muslims do sahur, the body will store excess calories 3 hours after eating. This reserve energy is stored in the form of glycogen, amino acids, and fats. Storing this energy reserve is always done by the body to anticipate if there are dead cells that need to be replaced, damaged cells that need to be repaired, or the regeneration of new cells with better quality.
In the process of carbohydrate metabolism during fasting, it turns out that the metabolic process does not only produce energy from food reserves, but will also remove harmful metabolic waste from the body. Therefore, fasting can be said as a moment of cleansing the remnants of toxins in the body.
In addition, by fasting, we will also maintain excessive eating patterns and indirectly maintain the ideal portion of the body. With a well-maintained diet, of course, we will get many health benefits. Fat stored in the body is not excessive and will keep us from various diseases such as cholesterol, obesity, heart disease, and so on.
So don't worry about fasting because a weak body when fasting turns out to be paid off by the various positive benefits that we can get from fasting. In fact, there is nothing wrong with doing private fasting outside of fasting together in the holy month of Ramadan for Muslims. Because, maintaining health by fasting should be done continuously, not only at certain times.
Now, you understand broadly what carbohydrate metabolism is and what benefits it has for the body.
Hopefully by doing so, you can maintain your health and this will be the beginning of your knowledge to be able to control the intake of carbohydrates that your body receives. Because excess or lack of carbohydrates both have their own health effects.