Glucogenic (glucogenetic) amino acids

The primary function of amino acids is to participate in protein synthesis, a biological process that leads to the formation of proteins necessary to support various functions of the organism. Each protein, in fact, is made up of a variable number of amino acids (indicatively from 50 to 2000 ).

In relation to their function, proteins can be classified into: regulatory (enzymes, peptide hormones), structural (collagen and elastin), contractile (muscle proteins), transport (such as plasma proteins, such as "albumin, or" hemoglobin ) and defense (antibodies or immunoglobulins).

The proteins, and in particular the amino acids that compose them, can however also have an energetic, ketogenetic or gluconeogenetic function. We therefore speak of:

Glucogenic amino acids: can provide glucose
Ketogenic amino acids: can provide ketone bodies

(some amino acids fall into both categories)

GLUCOGENETIC AMINO ACIDS (or more correctly glucogenic), in particular,

ARE THOSE WHO (by transamination or oxidative deamination) PRODUCE (directly or through pyruvate)

OXALACETATE

The use of amino acids for energy depends on the body's reserves, the more these (adipocytes, hepatic glycogen and muscle glycogen) are reduced and the greater the oxidation of their carbon structure, with consequent production of glucose through hepatic neoglucogenesis.

Biochemical insights: