Glycogen

Glycogen is an element of essential importance for the correct functioning of the vital processes of the human body. It is interrelated with different organs and compounds of the organism, interceding as a regulator of the energy of this, so within the cognitive spectrum of holistic nutrition, it is essential that we know the characteristics and basic functions of it.

During this guide we will go into this subject with the objective of providing you with the necessary information to elaborate and perfect your nutrition plans, increasing your knowledge about the human organism and the processes that take place in it.

What is glycogen?

Glycogen is an element made up of glucose molecules, so it is created from the concentration of glucose. It has the capacity to interact in inverse processes that allow it to revert back to glucose or to subtract it to be stored as glycogen.

It acts as an important source of energy reserve for the body, being stored in the muscles and different organs such as the liver and the brain. This source is of vital importance during periods of food shortages or states of alarm for the body.

Function

As we said before, the main function of glycogen is to act as an energy reserve for the human body, the glycogen stored in our muscles is responsible for facilitating muscle movements and contractions. When we exercise, part of this glycogen is consumed, allowing our muscles to increase in volume and providing the energy necessary for these exercises to be performed.

The glycogen stored in the liver functions as a natural regulator of the body's energy for the different processes and routine tasks. Some hormones such as adrenaline send messages of urgency when we are in a situation of high tension, allowing that through a process, which is performed almost instantaneously, the stored glycogen is converted into glucose giving a quick and safe energy supply so that we can act with immediacy to the threat.

A process that is carried out in reverse of the previous one allows us to concentrate the glucose that we obtain through our diet and convert it into glycogen, which will later be stored for the moments when we need to resort to it.

Glycogen and weight gain

There is a lot of misinformation about the impact of glycogen on our body weight gain. In principle, glycogen has nothing to do with the increase in body weight, if our body is in good condition, it will function as a natural reservoir of energy, so it will only act as a supplier of it if necessary.

The problem of glycogen and weight gain is associated with the intervention of the different hormones that trigger the state of alert in the body, which as we said before, will cause the liver to dispense a certain amount of glycogen that will be converted into glucose and will act as an extra energy supply.

It is here where we must keep in mind that in case we are going through situations of high stress, associated with lack of sleep, overwork or complicated situations, it is likely that our body detects this as a state of alarm and triggers glycogen levels, so if it will result in an increase in our weight, product of a misinterpretation of the signals of our body.

The only way to prevent this is to try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, reduce stress, rest better and handle situations with self-control. Only in this way will we be able to educate our organism in the moments in which it should act in the face of real threats.