What is a respiratory quotient? How is this figure related to nutritional intake and respiratory status?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

• The respiratory quotient is the ratio of consumed oxygen to the amount of carbon dioxide expired during nutrient metabolism.
• For an individual to metabolize carbohydrate, protein, or fat, a certain amount of oxygen must be consumed to support metabolism and a certain amount of carbon dioxide is produced during that metabolism.
• RQ of 0.7-0.8 means a higher proportion of energy is coming from lipids and 0.9-1.0 means that carbohydrate metabolism is mostly supporting energy needs. In between, those values indicates a mix with some protein being metabolized, too.
• Carbohydrate has the higher RQ, which means it requires more oxygen for metabolism and produces more carbon dioxide.
• Additionally, if a patient is overfed, then excessive caloric intake is converted to fat for storage.
• This conversion also produces an excessive amount of carbon dioxide and thus has a higher RQ.
• The respiratory system normally regulates CO2 levels, but if the system is compromised, as in respiratory disease, the patient can develop an acid-base imbalance.