Explain what is meant by the "protein-sparing action" of carbohydrate


Although glucose can be converted into body fat, body fat cannot be converted into glucose to feed the brain adequately. When the body faces a severe carbohydrate deficit, it has two problems. Having no glucose, it must turn to protein to make some, diverting protein from its own critical functions, such as maintaining immune defenses. When body protein is used, it is taken from blood, organ, or muscle proteins; no surplus of protein is stored specifically for such emergencies. Protein is indispensable to body functions, and carbohydrate should be kept available precisely to prevent the use of protein for energy. This is called the protein-sparing action of carbohydrate. As for fat, it regenerates a small amount of glucose—but not enough to feed the brain and nerve tissues (so protein is used).

Nutritional Science

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