Glucose is the most commonly known of all the Glyconutrients. Glucose is one of the most vital factors in the body’s energy cycle. This makes it one of the most important of the Glyconutrient saccharides. It is one of the eight essential nutrients making up this group. They are:
•Mannose
•Glucose
•Galactose
•Xylose:
•Fucose (not fructose)
•N-acetylglucosamine
•N-acetylneuramic acid
•N-acetylgalactosamine
Glucose is found naturally in plants, from the process known as photosynthesis. It can also be found in some prokaryotes. In fungus and animals glucose is made from the breakdown of glycogen (glycogenolysis). Animals make glucose in the kidneys and liver with a process called gluconeogenesis.
It is also made commercially from natural starch. This is taken from several plants, the most common one being maize. The body gets much of its energy from the break down of carbohydrates like starch. This creates monosaccharide and disaccharides much of these substances are made up of glucose. Insulin reaction controls the amount of glucose in the blood (also known as blood sugar) when too much blood sugar is present in the blood this is can be sign of Diabetes.
Glucose is important in lipid metabolism and the making of proteins. It is also used in the processing of Vitamin C and making starch cellulose and glycogen (animal starch). Coupled with glactose, glucose forms the disaccharide known as lactose. This is the sugar found in milk. Glucose is also a part of sucrose (table sugar)
Glucose is found in all major carbohydrates, either alone or coupled with another monosaccharide. Polysaccharides are broken down in the small intestine and lumen of the duodenum to form glucose. It is then absorbed into the blood from the small intestine walls. The muscles and brain cells use some of the glucose and the rest is processed by the liver and stored as fat cells. When the body needs energy and no food is present the fat cells are broken down as fuel for the body.
Glucose is a vital source of energy for the body but when there is too much or too little in the blood stream (causing high or low blood sugar )it can give rise to serious conditions in the body. One of these is the life threatening disease known as Diabetes. This is due to a malfunction in the pancreas that does not allow enough Insulin to break down glucose. This leads to high amounts of glucose in the blood (known as high blood sugar) and if left untreated will result in death.
Glucose is one of the most vital factors in the body’s energy cycle. This makes it one of the most important of the Glyconutrient saccharides. It is one of the eight essential nutrients making up this group. In its purest form it is used medicinally to counteract low blood sugar and to boost energy in patients.
