Which statement best describes the fate of most ingested glucose?

Which statement best describes the fate of most ingested glucose?

• A. It is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles
• B. It is oxidized for energy
• C. It is excreted in the urine
• D. It is converted to fat immediately

Answer: (B)

Glucose from a meal is mainly used to produce energy. It enters cells and is broken down through glycolysis to pyruvate, then to acetyl-CoA, feeding the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation to generate ATP. This rapid oxidation provides the immediate energy most tissues need. Some glucose is stored briefly as glycogen in the liver and muscles when energy is plentiful, but storage capacity is limited. Excess glucose can be converted to fat, but that is not the typical fate for most ingested glucose under normal conditions. Urine excretion of glucose happens only when blood glucose is too high to be reabsorbed, not for the majority of ordinary intake. So the best description is that most ingested glucose is oxidized for energy.

Glucose from a meal is mainly used to produce energy. It enters cells and is broken down through glycolysis to pyruvate, then to acetyl-CoA, feeding the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation to generate ATP. This rapid oxidation provides the immediate energy most tissues need. Some glucose is stored briefly as glycogen in the liver and muscles when energy is plentiful, but storage capacity is limited. Excess glucose can be converted to fat, but that is not the typical fate for most ingested glucose under normal conditions. Urine excretion of glucose happens only when blood glucose is too high to be reabsorbed, not for the majority of ordinary intake. So the best description is that most ingested glucose is oxidized for energy.