Let's learn everything about Glycogen - the 'power bank' in our body!

Have you ever wondered where the energy comes from when we eat something like a piece of rice or bread? Also, have you ever wondered how we get the energy we need to exercise, run, or jump? The energy we get from the food we eat is stored somewhere inside our body for later use. It's like keeping the battery of our phone charged or having an extra tank of gas in our car. The main way our body stores energy is called glycogen, which we're talking about today.

What is glycogen, simply put?

Simply put, glycogen is a form of glucose stored in our bodies. Think of it this way. The carbohydrates we eat, such as rice, bread, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and fruits, are digested and converted into a simple sugar called glucose inside our bodies. This glucose is the main source of energy for our body's cells, especially the brain. Just like a car needs gasoline to run, our bodies need glucose to function.

Now, after we eat a meal, more glucose than our body needs for energy is immediately added to the blood. So instead of just throwing this extra glucose away, our body cleverly collects it, and binds thousands of tiny glucose molecules together to form a larger molecule. That's what we call glycogen.

This process occurs with the help of special proteins called enzymes.

• The process of making glycogen from glucose is called Glycogenesis .
• The process of breaking down stored glycogen to create glucose when needed is called glycogenolysis .

Although these two names may seem a bit too scientific, simply remember, one is for storing, and the other is for retrieving from storage.

Glucose, glycogen, and glucagon: What's the difference between these three?

Many people get confused because these three names sound similar. However, these three perform three completely different functions. Let's look at the table below to understand this clearly.

Do you understand the difference? Glucose is energy. Glycogen is stored energy. Glucagon is the hormone that tells the body to release energy from storage. The hormone that works against this, that is, when blood sugar increases, it helps to store it as glycogen, is insulin .

Where is glycogen stored in the body?

Our body stores this valuable energy store mainly in two places.

1. Liver: Our liver is a major storage center. A significant portion of the liver's weight can be made up of glycogen.

2. Skeletal Muscles: The muscles in our body store the most glycogen. Because muscle mass is greater than the liver, only about three-quarters of the body's total glycogen is stored in muscles.

In addition to these two main locations, a very small amount of glycogen is also stored in organs such as the brain.

The amount of glycogen in our bodies doesn't stay the same throughout the day. It changes. There are several factors that affect it:

• The amount of carbohydrates you eat: When you eat a meal rich in carbohydrates, glycogen stores are filled.
• Mealtime Gaps: If you go for hours without eating, your body will use these stores for energy, causing glycogen levels to drop. Typically, fasting for 12-24 hours will deplete the liver of its glycogen stores.
• Exercise volume and intensity: When you exercise hard, especially high-intensity exercise, the glycogen in your muscles is depleted rapidly.

What happens to glycogen inside the body?

Glycogen stored in the liver and muscles serves two different functions. They both work in a somewhat selfish way.

Function of glycogen storage in the liver

The main function of liver glycogen is to maintain stable blood glucose levels.

Our brain needs a constant supply of glucose. If it gets even a little low, we start to feel dizzy and lightheaded. So, when we're between meals or sleeping at night, when there's no new glucose in the blood, our blood sugar levels drop.

At this time, our pancreas produces the hormone glucagon . This hormone goes to the liver and sends a signal, "Okay, now break down the stored glycogen and make glucose and release it into the blood." The liver then makes glucose and releases it into the blood. That glucose travels through the blood to the entire body, especially the brain, providing the necessary energy. This is why we can stay awake for hours without eating.

The function of glycogen stores in muscles

The glycogen stores in muscles are very selfish. They only use that glycogen to fuel that muscle. They don't break it down to make glucose and put it into the blood.

When we walk, run, or lift weights, our muscles need a lot of energy to perform any movement. If we try to get this energy from glucose in the blood, the glucose in the blood will run out very quickly.

Therefore, nature has wonderfully created a store of energy within the muscles that they can use themselves, namely glycogen stores. As soon as we start exercising, the muscles break down this glycogen to produce the energy they need.

Imagine a cricketer sprinting between runs. Or an athlete sprinting 100 meters. During such high-intensity activities, the muscles need a lot of energy in an instant. That's when these glycogen stores come to the rescue. That's why athletes are told to eat carbohydrate-rich foods (carb-loading) before competitions, to fill these glycogen stores to the maximum.

What is Glycogen Storage Disease (GSD)?

This is a very rare, inherited condition. We talked about how our bodies need different types of enzymes to make glycogen and break it down to make glucose. In a person with GSD, one or more of these enzymes are either missing or not working properly.

As a result, the person's body cannot properly make, store, or break down glycogen when needed. This can result in liver damage, muscle weakness, and dangerously low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). There are several types of GSD, depending on the enzyme deficiency. Often, these symptoms begin to appear in infancy.

Are there special tests to check glycogen levels?

There's no single test that can directly measure, "How much glycogen do I have in my body?" Because, as we talked about earlier, that level is constantly changing throughout the day, depending on what we eat and what we do.

However, if your symptoms suggest a problem with your body's glycogen metabolism, your doctor may recommend other tests to check for conditions like GSD.

If you have any doubts about these symptoms, the best thing to do is to see your family doctor and talk about it.

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