Just like a car engine, your cells need fuel to power the reactions that keep them going. The most important fuel your cells burn is a simple sugar called glucose. A 10-step series of reactions called glycolysis breaks molecules of glucose down...
The energy for all human muscles is adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which comes from food, or more specifically carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Usage of these macronutrients depends upon the intensity and duration of activity. The body has several...
Protein phosphatases, also known also as phosphoprotein phosphatases, are enzymes in your body. Protein phosphatases help remove phosphate compounds from various proteins and enzymes in your cells. Since your body requires protein phosphorylation...
The body is composed of trillions of cells that are the building blocks of tissues that make up organs. The cells have a vast array of structures and functions, with many differences and similarities between the cells. One trait shared by all...
Your liver is one of the most important organs in digestion and metabolism. Among its many other invaluable roles, the liver acts to maintain stable blood sugar levels. When your blood sugar levels start to fall, your liver counteracts the change...
The energy in the food you ingest is stored in your body as protein, carbohydrate or fat. When your muscles require energy to perform work, they must rely on these fuels in varying proportions. The degree to which each will contribute, which...
ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is also known as motor neuron disease because it affects exclusively motor neurons that control the body's voluntary and skeletal muscles. While there is no cure, evidence continues to mount that...
NADH is a molecule involved in energy synthesis within your cells. NADH is the so-called reduced form of NAD, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. In other words, NADH is in a molecular state where it can donate electrons. The electron transfer...
Some cells of the body such as many of the immune cells migrate from tissue to tissue and need a source of energy in order to move. Even the stationary cells need a source of energy as they are constantly making proteins, receiving and sending...
Everyone knows that the body uses sugar for energy. Advertising claims that high glucose drinks and bars produce quick energy are made every day. However, fewer people know that sugar is used to create high-energy phosphate groups. These phosphate...
Despite the fact the word "respiration" is used in a colloquial context to mean "breathing," it's actually a metabolic term that refers to the burning of fuel for energy. Your cells use a variety of chemicals called enzymes to engage in the...
Magnesium is a metal found in soil, rock and seawater. It enters the food chain through plants and animals, which you consume. Once inside your body, magnesium dissolves and becomes electrically charged, which makes it chemically reactive. Dietary...
Aerobic bacteria require oxygen for respiration purposes. Without oxygen, there's no adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production; ATP provides energy to the cellular processes in the bacteria. Bacteria vary in the amount of oxygen needed to carry out...
Aerobic respiration is one process by which organisms utilize food sources to produce usable energy. In this case, organic compounds are oxidized through a series of reactions to produce an energy source called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. The...
Glucose is a simple sugar that is the main energy constituent of the blood. It flows through the blood and supplies cells with a means to make adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, which is the primary energy carrier of the cell. Without oxygen, glucose...
All living organisms have a finite life cycle, one that is littered with the slow but sure deterioration of cellular function. Humans age at different rates depending on genetic, environmental and nutritional factors. Academics from the University...
Glucose is a must-have fuel if you want to perform your best in the pool, on the court, on the road or in the gym. All carbohydrates are converted to glucose in your body, including starch, natural sweeteners like honey and table sugar, and fruit,...
As a byproduct of creatine metabolism, creatinine is a serum marker often used as a tool to assess renal function. Together with other laboratory data, including elevated blood-urea nitrogen, it may indicate the presence of renal failure. Certain...
Your body continuously conducts metabolic activities that sustain life. At a fundamental level, your metabolism is the sum total of countless chemical reactions that fall into two broad categories. Those that build complex chemicals from simpler...
Tyrosine is a chemical essential to your health, found in foods including meats, fish, nuts, avocados and dairy products, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, UMMC. It belongs to larger class of chemicals called amino acids,...
Creatine is a popular protein supplement used by athletes and bodybuilders. It was estimated in 1998 that the market for creatine products was approximately $200 million. Creatine powder has become widely available in most general health and...
Cancer has become a major killer in modern societies and is thought to be related to many factors, such as genetics, environmental toxins and immune system dysfunction. A healthy immune system is often able to keep cancerous processes in check,...
Alzheimer's disease is the ninth-leading cause of death in people older than 65. It initially involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory and language. The cause is unknown and there is no cure. An estimated 4 million Americans...
Glucose is the most common sugar found in the blood and is one of the main energy sources in the body. Most carbohydrates are broken down into glucose. It can be stored in the liver, muscle and other tissues, or used to produce energy-containing...
The term "aerobic" refers to the use of oxygen. Energy systems are the processes through which your body turns food or macronutrients into energy or ATP. Those energy systems that are classified as the aerobic energy systems are those that require...
Thermogenics are dietary supplements used in weight loss and weight lifting. Thermogenics raise metabolic functioning using stimulants like caffeine, ginger and ephedrine. Thermogenics increase the activity of the nervous system. As your...
Dieters and nutrition-minded people often focus upon how harmful glucose is. While you can make a case that there is too much sugar in the the average American's diet, it is easy to forget that glucose is essential for life. This six-carbon sugar...
Citric acid is an intermediate in a cycle of biochemical reactions in the body known as the Krebs cycle. The Krebs cycle is a vital part of the main energy-producing pathway in the body. It involves a series of chemical reactions that create...
You've probably heard that respiration is an important part of human metabolism, which may be confusing given that in common usage, "respiration" refers to the process of breathing. Actually, breathing itself is essential to metabolism, but that...
