L18: Metabolic and Endocrine control during special circumstances Flashcards
What are the different fuel sources in the body?
Normally available
–>Glucose- preferred fuel, essential for cornea of eye, RBC, medulla of kidney, CNS and brian
–>Fatty acids –> most cell (except ones above)
Specialised conditions
–>Amino acids
–>Ketone bodies
–>Lactate
How much glucose is available in the body?
Preferred fuel
Little (12g) free glucose available
More glucose (300g) stored as glycogen
How many fatty acids are available in the body?
Stored as triacylglycerol (fat) in adipose
10-15kg fat in 70kg man –> last for 2 months
What releases amino acids? What do they get converted into for fuel?
Muscle protein (6kg) broken down to provide amino acids for fuel
Converted to glucose or ketone bodies
2 weeks supply of energy
What can ketones be used for?
Used in the brain in starvation BUT brain needs time to adapt to using them–> only provide 50% necessary fuel
Derived from fatty acids
When is lactate produced? What is it converted to?
Anaerobic metabolism in muscle
Converted to glucose in Cori cycle or utilised as fuel source in TCA cycle
What are the major energy stores?
Glycogen –> 400g
Fat –> 10-15kg
Muscle protein –> 6kg
What is glycogen?
Readily available source of glucose
Made and stored in the liver and muscle
Made when glucose is in excess in the blood
What is fat?
Made from glucose and dietary fats when in excess
Stored as TAGs
Source of FA and glycerol
What is muscle protein?
Used in emergency Amino acids can be --> glucogenic --> Ala, Val --> ketogenic --> Lys, Leu --> both --> Tyr, Phe Store 'filled' by normal growth and repair processes
Why do we need different stores of energy?
Food is consumed episodically–> intermittent use
Absorbed nutrient sometimes available in excess and sometimes unavailable –> feed/fasting cycle, starvation
Need long and short term energy stores
For the first two hours after feeding what supplies the fuel for the body to function? What is it used for?
Glucose and fat from the gut Immediate metabolism: --> speed up growth and repair processes --> Make glycogen as rapidly as possible --> Increase fat stores
What supplies fuel for the 2-10 hours since feeding? What is it used for?
Glycogen stores
Support metabolic activities by releasing FA from stores
Preserve blood glucose for brain
What provides fuel for 8-10 hours since feeding? What is it used for?
Glycogen stores depleted
Glucose made from amino acids, glycerol and lactate by gluconeogenesis
Support metabolism with fatty acids
What provides fuel for >10 hours since feeding?
FA produce ketone bodies
Brian becomes able to metabolise ketone bodies (reduce need for glucose)–> Glucose sparring effect
What controls the availability of fuel molecules in the blood?
Hormonal control
Insulin–> promotes storage (growth hormone increase protein synthesis so minor contribution)–> anabolic
Glucagon, Adrenaline, Cortisol, Growth hormone (increases lipolysis and gluconeogenesis) and thyroid hormone–> promote release stores and utilisation–> catabolic
What are anti-insulin hormones?
Hormones that work against insulin
Glucagon, Adrenaline, Cortisol, GH and thyroid hormone
Why is it important that the levels of glucose in the blood is maintained?
CNS, RBC and some other tissue require glucose to function–> cannot do oxidative phosphorylation
Metabolism proceeds at a constant rate
CNS- 140g/24hrs
Other tissue- 40g/24hrs
Rate of uptake of glucose is related to the concentration
Glucose maintained between 4.0-6.0mmol/L to ensure enough glucose uptaken
What is hypoglycaemia? What are the signs and symptoms?
Low blood glucose
Reduction <3 mmol/L
S and S: Trembling, weakness, tiredness, headache, sweating, sickness, tingling around the lips, palpitations, changes in mood, slurred speech, staggering walk–> confused with intoxication
Unconsciousness and death
What is hyperglycaemia? What happens?
High blood glucose
Elevated >7mmol/L
Nervous, cardiovascular and renal system affected
Glucose in urine–> filtered and cannot be recovered–> renal threshold exceeded
More water is lost in urine–> polyuria
Increased thrist–> polydipsia
Associated with abnormal metabolism
Increased glycation of plasma proteins–> lipoproteins
What does insulin promote?
Translocation of GLUT4 channel–> glucose uptake in muscle and adipose
Glycolysis
Glycogen synthesis
Protein synthesis
What does insulin inhibit?
Gluconeogenesis Glycogenolysis Lipolysis Ketogenesis Proteolysis
What is the feeding/fasting cycle?
Regular metabolic changes that occur during feeding and fasting
What effects does feeding having on metabolism?
Increased glucose–> pancreas–> insulin
- ↑ glucose uptake and utilisation by muscle and adipose (GLUT4)
- Promotes storage of glucose as glycogen in liver and muscle
- Promotes amino acid uptake and protein synthesis in the liver and muscle
- Promotes lipogenesis and storgae of fatty acids as TAG in adipose tissue
What effect does fasting have on metabolism?
Low blood glucose—> Increase glucagon secretion and inhibit insulin secretion
—> Increase glycogenolysis—> increase glucose for brain and other dependent tissues
—> Lipolysis—> provide fatty acids for other tissues
—> Gluconeogenesis—> maintain supplies of glucose to the brain
What is meant by starvation?
Inadequate intake of energy in a previously well nourished individual
How does the body respond to starvation?
- Initially blood glucose maintained by glucagon—> breakdown of hepatic glycogen
- Reduced blood glucose—> Pituitary releases ACTH—> cortisol increases
- Simulates gluconeogenesis and breakdown of protein and fat to increase gluconeogenic substrates available
- Lipolysis increases—> FA increase to 2mmol/L
- Decrease in insulin and increase in anti-insulin effects prevents cells using glucose—> FA metabolised
- Glycerol from FA —> gluconeogenesis (less need for protein breakdown)
- Liver produces ketone bodies—> brain utilises—> reduces need of protein breakdown for gluconeogenesis
- Kidneys contribute to gluconeogenesis
- Once fat stores are depleted—> protein breakdown
What is re-feeding syndrome?
After starvation
Introduction of food must be gradual
Reduction in urea sythesis leads to down regulation of the enzymes involved
Sudden increase in protein or AA—> ammonia toxicity
What metabolic and endocrine changes occur to the mother during pregnancy?
1st half— anabolic metabolism
2nd half catabolic metabolism
Change in sensitivity to hormones
Why does metabolism and endocrine functions in the mother change?
Accommodate the demands of the foetus and placenta
Support growth
Ensure foetus is supplied with the correct nutrients at the correct stage of development