On daily basis, we perform certain works, play, move, and read. For doing these works, we require energy. Where do we get energy from? As you are well aware of, we get energy from what we eat. Let us ponder over this topic more and explore few things that will explain us our metabolism mechanism…

The body gets energy from the breakdown of nutrients like amino acids, glucose and fatty acids. There must be a molecular destruction going on to provide the energy required for this process. This is an on-going process.  Throughout the day, anabolism (the process of breaking of molecules) and catabolism (building of molecules) is going on simultaneously in our body.  When anabolism exceeds catabolism, growth is stunted and hampered. This process depends on our diet. When catabolism exceeds anabolism, growth occurred.

To synthesize the proteins, we consume the food and food supplement, and we can have a good quantity of essential amino acid (not produced by our body) and non-essential amino acids we require. If one of the essential amino acid is missing, protein synthesis meets an abrupt end. These partially assembled legal steroid proteins are disassembled and the amino acids are absorbed in the blood. Rest amino acids that are not used are stored for future use. These are delivered back to the liver and excreted as urea in urine.

Protein synthesis is very much important to carry out blood circulation, respiration and digestion. Therefore, in the absence of adequate dietary carbohydrates and fat calories, the body will breakdown not only dietary protein but also protein in blood, liver, pancreas, muscles, and in other tissues in order to maintain vital organs and functions. Our bodies can directly absorb monosaccharide, the single unit of sugar and starches. Once absorbed into the small intestine and circulated in blood, our body can put glucose to work in three ways.

• Our body burns the glucose immediately for energy if blood glucose levels are not at a stable level of 20 grams blood borne glucose circulating per hour.

• If glucose is not needed for energy immediately, then it is converted into glycogen in the liver or muscles. The liver has the capacity to store 100 grams of glycogen. The muscles have the capacity to store between 250-400 grams of glycogen, depending on muscle mass and physical condition. Liver glycogen supplies energy for the entire body. Muscle glycogen only supplies energy to muscles.

• If the body has an excess of glucose, and all of the glycogen stores are full, the surplus glucose is converted to fat by the liver and stored as adipose tissue (body fat) around the body. Fatty acids also can be burned as fuel (but the fat cannot be converted back to glucose).

I think, now you mighty have a brief idea regarding conversion of your diet into energy. Now you can also have an idea to get maximum energy from the food you are taking daily and get the maximum benefits of it.