The human organism performs hundreds of tasks every day to maintain health. For life to be possible at all, it ensures a beating heart and functioning lungs. Each of these processes requires energy, which must be supplied from outside. The body’s energy supply represents a complex interplay.
What is the energy supply?
The energy supply represents the basis for human existence. Without carbohydrates, proteins and fats, it would not be possible for the body to maintain all functions. Energy supply represents the basis for human existence. Without carbohydrates, proteins and fats it would not be possible for the body to maintain all functions. The energy required is differentiated into basal metabolic rate and total metabolic rate: while the basal metabolic rate describes the calories used only for the work of cells and organs, the total metabolic rate includes any movements. A deficit leads to a loss of adipose tissue, which is sometimes deliberate, while in others it is a sign of disease. The energy supply in the body itself takes place through various structures. First of all, the intake of nutrients via food is decisive. The usable elements are finally provided via the digestive tract and later transported with the help of the blood to each individual cell in the body so that it can work and there are no health restrictions.
Function and task
Thus, the task of energy supply is to enable life. Through the various processes, all organs get the necessary energy to function. In this way, the heart beats at regular intervals, oxygen enters the lungs through inhalation and exhalation, and food is transformed in the digestive tract. A disturbance in the energy supply can result in relevant complaints, because it is so irreplaceable for the daily life of humans. Basically, the organism needs carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Proteins serve only secondarily for the energy supply itself. They ensure the building of new structures and are particularly relevant during growth, muscle development or injuries. Carbohydrates and fats, on the other hand, provide energy. These nutrients are absorbed through food. Digestion plays a central role in the energy supply. This begins in the mouth as soon as saliva mixes with food. Human saliva contains specific enzymes that are able to break down long carbohydrate chains into shorter ones, thus relieving the stomach and intestines. Carbohydrates consist of different sugar molecules. In the course of digestion, the chains are broken down into their individual parts so that simple sugars are present at the end. This is how, for example, glucose or fructose molecules are formed. However, digestion itself is not responsible for the utilization of energy. It only ensures that carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars and proteins into amino acids. Enzymes play an important role in this process, which are passed from the pancreas to the intestine during the various processes. After the nutrients have been extracted from the food and broken down, they enter the blood. The red blood cells distribute glucose, fructose, amino acids, etc. to the individual cells. It is only in the cells themselves that metabolism finally takes place. The transported molecules serve as energy and working basis for the cells. In this way, all structures are enabled to perform their function. Food is stored temporarily in the stomach so that people do not have to eat continuously to maintain their bodily functions. In addition, the organism manages to accumulate stores as soon as it is fed more than it needs. Thus, fat deposits develop in various places, which can be reactivated and used for energy supply in the event of a lack of food.
Diseases and ailments
The energy supply can be restricted in various ways. For example, disorders and discomfort can occur during digestion. These are often noticeable in the consistency of the stool, for example in the form of a fatty stool. A fatty stool indicates that the body does not succeed in optimally processing the ingested lipids, so that they are not available as part of the energy supply.In principle, various factors are possible for fatty stools, for example a deficiency of bile acid or pancreatic fluid resulting in a disorder of the intestinal cells. Another possibility is malabsorption. The fat is digested adequately, but the cells of the intestine do not absorb it. Malabsorption is noticeable, for example, due to chronic inflammatory bowel disease or gluten intolerance. Similar observations can be made with starch in the stool. The trigger here is often a disorder of the pancreas. In both diseases, less energy is absorbed by the body than was actually supplied to it. This can lead to a decrease in body weight in the case of long-term complaints. In addition, hormones can change the energy supply. Hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism is one of the most common hormonal disorders. The thyroid gland plays an important role in metabolism and thus also in energy supply. For example, inflammation of the organ due to the body’s own defenses leads to a loss of thyroid tissue, which produces hormones. The metabolism slows down. Diabetes, on the other hand, represents a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism. Diabetes type 1 is characterized by a deficiency of the hormone insulin, which increases the level of sugar in the blood. In the second type, the organism has sufficient insulin, but disorders cause the body to be insensitive to the hormone.