Carbohydrate metabolism is a fundamental biochemical process that ensures a constant supply of energy to living cells. The most important carbohydrate is glucose, which can be broken down via glycolysis to enter into the Krebs cycle and eventually lead to the production of ATP through oxidative phosphorylation.
Glucose transport into cells is facilitated by a family of transport proteins called GLUT (Glucose Transporters). GLUT4 is the primary glucose transporter for insulin-stimulated glucose...

Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...

Carbohydrates consumed through foods are converted into glucose, a crucial energy source for the body. In the prandial state, high blood glucose levels stimulate the secretion of insulin from the pancreas. Insulin inhibits hepatic glucose production and stimulates glucose uptake and metabolism by muscle and adipose tissue. The excess glucose is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscles.
During fasting, when blood glucose levels are low, the pancreas secretes glucagon. it...

Glucose transporters facilitate the transport of glucose across the cell membrane. In addition to glucose, some glucose transporters can also aid the movement of other hexoses such as fructose, mannose, and galactose.
Facilitated diffusion-glucose transporters (GLUTs) are encoded by the solute-linked carrier (SLC) family 2, subfamily A gene family, or SLC2A. The 14 GLUT protein members are distributed into three classes:

Hyperglycemia is an abnormally high blood glucose level. It is diagnosed by fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (or OGTT) ≥200 mg/dL, random glucose ≥200 mg/dL with symptoms, or HbA1c ≥6.5%. However, HbA1c results may be unreliable in certain conditions, such as anemia or hemoglobinopathies, and the diagnosis should be confirmed unless classic symptoms are present. Postprandial hyperglycemia is typically considered significant when glucose levels exceed 180 mg/dL two...

Carbohydrates are predominantly obtained from plant sources. With the exception of lactose found in milk and insignificant glycogen amounts in meat, most consumed carbohydrates have plant origins. Monosaccharides and disaccharides, or sugars, can be sourced from fruits, honey, milk, sugar cane, and sugar beets. Grains and vegetables are rich in the polysaccharide starch. Two types of polysaccharides provide fiber: cellulose, which is abundant in many vegetables, forms undigestible roughage or...