Pineapple, grapefruit and orange juice are nutritious beverages and natural sources of potassium and vitamin C. Too much of these juices, however, may increase painful leg cramps in certain situations. Leg cramps do not usually require medical...
It is important for the cells to be able to break down carbohydrates, because this provides the energy the cells need for most of their reactions. Thus, the breakdown of glucose and glycogen, the storage form of glucose, is vital. There are...
Your liver and muscles contain glycogen, which is the storage form of glucose, or blood sugar, that your body uses for energy. Glucose-6-phosphatase is an enzyme that's needed for you to convert glycogen to glucose and release it into the blood....
Exercise may cause weakness if environmental and physiological conditions are not optimal. Weakness is often associated with muscle cramping, fainting, confusion and dizziness. Weakness when exercising can result from a myriad of conditions and...
The relationship between vitamin D deficiency and hypoglycemia is a bit puzzling. Hypoglycemia refers to a condition in which blood sugar, or glucose, levels are too low, but diabetes is a disease caused by glucose levels that are too high. Yet...
Metabolic diseases and disorders occur when your organs and tissues, such as the pancreas, liver, kidneys or muscles, become damaged or dysfunctional, causing abnormal chemical reactions that induce too much or too little of one or more biological...
When it comes to building muscle, their are generally two schools of thought involved. Some people want to gain bulk, and others want to gain lean muscle mass. If you are in the latter group and you want to gain lean muscle mass quickly, you have...
Carbohydrate-rich foods such as vegetables, fruit and whole grains contribute to a healthy diet and supply your body with its preferred source of energy. Your body uses and stores calories from protein, fats and carbohydrates in specific ways....
Symptoms of paleness and weakness may result from exercise when biological and environmental factors are not ideal. Symptoms of weakness and paleness when exercising stem from a variety of situations. Watch for biological cues, such as confusion,...
Endurance athletes burn fat and carbohydrates for fuel during extended exercise. The most important factor in delaying fatigue is adequate storage of carbohydrates in the form of muscle and liver glycogen. To maximize glycogen storage, athletes...
Carbohydrates are sugars the body uses for its energy needs. Sugars can be simple, like glucose, or complex, like the sugars that make up pasta, bread and rice. Children can have several blood sugar problems. These include disorders of...
Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in the body, accounting for more than half of the amino acids in the body. It is considered an "inessential" amino acid because the body has the ability to produce it on its own, rather than having to...
Consuming a variety of foods helps you achieve peak performance. Because the body uses and depletes nutrients during competition, it's important to start eating within the first 15 to 30 minutes after you have completed your event. Waiting too...
The best food to consume following a weightlifting workout are foods that help rebuild and fuel your muscles. Food that is important to consume is protein sources and carbohydrate sources. These nutritional sources help refuel muscles, restore...
Glycogen is a fancy word for carbohydrate storage. Glycogen is three glucose molecules combined with water. It is the body's major source of carbohydrate as its purpose is to provide energy when no food is being ingested. Glycogen is utilized...
Before the use of processed sugar, people generally ate fruits for dessert, which are high in fiber and vitamins. Sugar has been "villainized" in modern society, because of its association to weight gain; however, eating small amounts of natural,...
The grapefruit is a citrus fruit that originated in the West Indies, and the majority of botanists agree that it developed from a hybrid of the sweet orange and pomelo. The commercial production of grapefruit is primarily concentrated in Florida....
Continue building muscle after your actual workout by eating the right foods in the proper combinations. Anita Bean, author of "Sports Nutrition," says that the best foods to eat in the two-hour recovery time right after the workout contain both...
Metabolism is the set of all chemical reactions that maintain life. It works by converting foods --- proteins, fatty acids and carbohydrates --- into energy and other structural molecules in the body. A disorder of metabolism interferes with these...
Carbohydrates are perhaps the most important component of an athlete's diet. These high-energy molecules, composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, are the primary source of energy for the body's cells and should account for the majority of your...
Glucose and glycogen are both carbohydrates, but glucose is classified as a monosaccharide and sugar. As a single unit, it is a much smaller molecule. According to Virtual Chembook at Elmhurst College, glycogen is classified as a polysaccharide...
Diabetes is a disease of disordered carbohydrate metabolism. Whether you are a type 1 or type 2 diabetic, your ability to process carbohydrates normally is impaired. Type 1 diabetes is a state of insulin deficit, while type 2 diabetes is...
Many people limit their carbohydrate intake because they think it will cause weight gain and/or prevent weight loss. However, you need adequate amounts of carbs to function properly at rest and during exercise. The body breaks down carbohydrate...
Whether you are an athlete training for competition, or a fitness enthusiast trying to stay in shape, muscle recovery is critical to your program. You need to fuel your body properly before and after workouts so that your muscles can recover and...
The forearm ischemic exercise test, sometimes referred to as a forearm exercise test, is a blood test that measures ammonia and lactate levels during both exercise and rest periods. The test is commonly used to determine the body's ability to...
Gain weight by increasing lean muscle mass for a healthy body composition and appearance. Achieve lean weight gain with a combination of weight training and a balanced diet. Resistance training gives your muscles the stimulus to grow and the diet...
When a patient's liver is failing and all medical treatments have ceased working, the next step may be a liver transplant. The patient receiving the transplant must meet certain criteria before she can get a new liver match.
According to Janet Thomas, M.D., of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, approximately 1 in 1,500 children has a congenital metabolic disease. Called inborn errors of metabolism, just one defective gene...
Carbohydrates, sometimes referred to as carbs, perform functions in the human body critical to survival. There are two primary groups of carbs--simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates come from foods that contain sugar like fruit or cookies. They...
