Fuel

Fuel (Medicine)

Fuel (/fjuːl/, from the Old French feuill, "leaf") in the context of medicine, refers to the substances that are metabolically consumed, digested or absorbed to produce energy. This energy is used by the body to perform various functions, including cell growth, repair, and maintenance.

Types of Fuel

There are three main types of fuel that the body uses: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

• Carbohydrates (/kɑːrboʊˈhaɪdreɪts/, from the Latin carbo, "coal" + hydrates, "water") are the body's primary source of energy. They are broken down into glucose, which is used immediately for energy or stored in the liver and muscles for later use.

• Fats (/fæts/, from the Old English fætt, "crude, unrefined") are a concentrated source of energy. They are broken down into fatty acids and glycerol, which can be used for energy or stored in fat cells for later use.

• Proteins (/ˈproʊtiːnz/, from the Greek proteios, "primary") are used for energy when carbohydrate and fat stores are low. They are broken down into amino acids, which are used for building and repairing tissues.

Related Terms

• Metabolism (/məˈtæbəlɪzəm/, from the Greek metabole, "change") is the process by which the body converts fuel into energy and building blocks for proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and some carbohydrates.

• Catabolism (/kəˈtæbəlɪzəm/, from the Greek kata, "down" + ballein, "to throw") is the set of metabolic pathways that breaks down molecules into smaller units to release energy.

• Anabolism (/əˈnæbəlɪzəm/, from the Greek ana, "up" + ballein, "to throw") is the set of metabolic pathways that construct molecules from smaller units.

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Fuel
• Wikipedia's article - Fuel

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