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>That excess fructose is broken down by the liver and transformed into fat globules (triglycerides) I believe this is not "that" accurate. Generally the presen

>That excess fructose is broken down by the liver and transformed into fat globules (triglycerides) I believe this is not "that" accurate. Generally the presence of excess carbohydrates cause the body to prioritize sucrose/fructose/glucose to glycogen conversion and storage & usage. Dietary Lipids that are ingested are stored rather than used for energy. While, De novo lipogenesis (turning carbs to lipids) does occur, it is inefficient enough that the body barely converts something around 1% of carbs to fat. Since glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles, and insulin signals the muscles & liver to take up the glycogen in the blood, this is probably where diabetes starts when the liver and muscles are already filled with enough glycogen and there is no where for the glycogen in the bloodstream to go. If the body could efficiently convert sugars to lipids, I don't think diabetes would be that much of an issue. People would just get obese with the diabetes. AFAIK, the priorities for energy consumption of the body is: 1. sugars into glycogen into ATP 2. protein into glucose into glycogen (gluconeogenesis) into ATP (some limited amount) 3. lipids into ketone bodies into ATP So as long as the body was sugars to use up, that is the priority of usage. One of the most calorically intensive tasks the body does is growth and repair of new tissue. Excess sugars are generally used up by kids who are growing. However, once people reach adulthood, the growth rate slows so significantly that the excess caloric intake forces all the lipids ingested to be stored.

dl904 9y ago
Something that has been popularized in certain countries is the notion that there is a huge difference between different kinds of sugars, and that especially fructose is harmful to people. I wonder if there is any truth to that.
- Gibbon1 9y ago
  What I understand is the core structure of glucose and fructose differ enough that the metabolic pathways are different. And also while fructose tastes sweet it isn't under homeostatic control like glucose is. So I think it's important health-wise to distinguish the two. There are other sugars that either differ only slightly from glucose or are dimer, etc. AKA lactose is a disaccharide sugar composed of galactose and glucose. Compare with sucrose which is disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose.
swendoog 9y ago
> Excess sugars are generally used up by kids who are growing. However, once people reach adulthood, the growth rate slows so significantly that the excess caloric intake forces all the lipids ingested to be stored. Huh? You mention that the SUGARS the kids are eating are used for growth. But then say it's the LIPIDS (dietary fats) that are stored in adults? What about the sugar...? I've always been skinny, and even eating loads of sugar, and loads of fat, never seem to budge in weight. Best I could do was put on 15lbs of muscle in college when I started working out... That's the only time I've ever been able to gain weight. What gives?
- itchyouch 9y ago
  Gaining weight or losing weight is all based on whether one is at a caloric surplus or deficit. Point was that kids generally have a “higher metabolism” because they are in a growth stage. (Hence using up the sugars) The adolescent body is generating tons of human growth hormone and testosterone to build muscle, bone, cartilage, etc and that activity is calorically intensive. When people get older, that activity subsides so much that eating at the same rates as an adult leads to weight gain. Plus, kids are generally more active having to walk from class to class while most adults (us office workers) are sitting all day. The body also likes to stay at a homeostasis of sorts for weight. Listening to you body and only eating when you’re hungry and maintaing weight is a wonderful genetic trait most people have. Body builders who have wanted to get larger but could not would actually force fed themselves the calories to the point of being mildly sick. People usually have mentioned post-workout hunger the say of or the next day. Thats where the body lifting weights craves a lot of calories for growing.
  - turk184 9y ago
    If true, there are many people that I see at Wal Mart and Costco who are eating enough for about ten people.

dl904 9y ago

Something that has been popularized in certain countries is the notion that there is a huge difference between different kinds of sugars, and that especially fructose is harmful to people. I wonder if there is any truth to that.

Gibbon1 9y ago
What I understand is the core structure of glucose and fructose differ enough that the metabolic pathways are different. And also while fructose tastes sweet it isn't under homeostatic control like glucose is. So I think it's important health-wise to distinguish the two. There are other sugars that either differ only slightly from glucose or are dimer, etc. AKA lactose is a disaccharide sugar composed of galactose and glucose. Compare with sucrose which is disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose.

swendoog 9y ago

> Excess sugars are generally used up by kids who are growing. However, once people reach adulthood, the growth rate slows so significantly that the excess caloric intake forces all the lipids ingested to be stored. Huh? You mention that the SUGARS the kids are eating are used for growth. But then say it's the LIPIDS (dietary fats) that are stored in adults? What about the sugar...? I've always been skinny, and even eating loads of sugar, and loads of fat, never seem to budge in weight. Best I could do was put on 15lbs of muscle in college when I started working out... That's the only time I've ever been able to gain weight. What gives?

itchyouch 9y ago
Gaining weight or losing weight is all based on whether one is at a caloric surplus or deficit. Point was that kids generally have a “higher metabolism” because they are in a growth stage. (Hence using up the sugars) The adolescent body is generating tons of human growth hormone and testosterone to build muscle, bone, cartilage, etc and that activity is calorically intensive. When people get older, that activity subsides so much that eating at the same rates as an adult leads to weight gain. Plus, kids are generally more active having to walk from class to class while most adults (us office workers) are sitting all day. The body also likes to stay at a homeostasis of sorts for weight. Listening to you body and only eating when you’re hungry and maintaing weight is a wonderful genetic trait most people have. Body builders who have wanted to get larger but could not would actually force fed themselves the calories to the point of being mildly sick. People usually have mentioned post-workout hunger the say of or the next day. Thats where the body lifting weights craves a lot of calories for growing.
- turk184 9y ago
  If true, there are many people that I see at Wal Mart and Costco who are eating enough for about ten people.