Choosing the Right Substrate
Abstract
Carbohydrate and fatty acids are major energetic substrates, although amino acid oxidation also permits ATP synthesis. Among several major metabolic differences between lipids and carbohydrate (activation, transport, effect of insulin, etc.), two are of particular importance when considering energy metabolism of critically ill patients: the yield of ATP synthesis and the response to uncoupling. (I) Oxidative phosphorylation yield is higher when NADH is the electron donor (three coupling sites: complex 1, 3 and 4) as compared to FADH2 (two coupling sites: complex 3 and 4). Since the ratio NADH/FADH2 is higher for glycolysis as compared to beta-oxidation, the stoichiometry of ATP synthesis to oxygen consumption is also higher. Lipid oxidation provides more ATP than carbohydrate, but it requires more oxygen per mole of ATP synthesized. (II) The ratio of NADH oxidation versus FADH, oxidation depends on the proton motive force, and lowering proton motive force by uncoupling favours FADH2 oxidation, i.e. lipids versus carbohydrate. In conclusion, lipid oxidation provides a high rate of ATP synthesis even during a mild uncoupling state, but at a high rate of oxygen consumption. If oxygen availability is limited, the major metabolic adaptation to increase the efficiency is represented by a switch from lipid oxidation to glucose oxidation.
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CHO oxidation produces 5-8% higher energy yield per litre of oxygen consumed through oxidative phosphorylation.
“CHO oxidation produces 5–8% higher energy yield per litre of oxygen consumed through oxidative phosphorylation.”
From Neither beetroot juice supplementation nor increased carbohydrate oxidation enhance economy of prolonged exercise in elite race walkers (2021) · cites this paper as [32]
Better exercise economy is achieved with carbohydrate-dependent generation of adenosine triphosphate than with fat oxidation pathways.
“This contrasts with claims that a low CHO, high-fat diet is the “future of elite endurance sport” but is supported by empirical (Krogh & Lindhard, 1920) and theoretical (Leverve et al., 2007) evidence of better exercise economy with CHO-dependent generation of adenosine triphosphate than fat oxidation pathways”
From Contemporary Nutrition Strategies to Optimize Performance in Distance Runners and Race Walkers (2019) · cites this paper as Leverve et al., 2007
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“2,23 .”
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“This contrasts with claims that a low CHO, high-fat diet is the “future of elite endurance sport” but is supported by empirical (Krogh & Lindhard, 1920) and theoretical (Leverve et al., 2007) evidence of better exercise economy with CHO-dependent generation of adenosine triphosphate than fat oxidation pathways (see Co…”
Background
- Authors
- Leverve, X., Batandier, C., & Fontaine, E.
- Affiliations
- Inserm (FR)
- Venue
- Novartis Foundation Symposia
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2006-01-26
- Volume
- 280
- Pages
- 108-127
- ISSN
- 1528-2511 (ISSN-L)
- 1935-4657
- OpenAlex
- W1540172015
- Cited by
- 60
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 3
- Type
- other
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Novartis Foundation symposium (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Clinical Nutrition and Gastroenterology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Biochemical Acid Research Studies
- Keywords
- substrate selection, energy metabolism, critically ill patients, lipid oxidation, carbohydrate oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, uncoupling, proton motive force, oxygen consumption, insulin, fatty acid beta-oxidation, glycolysis, ATP production
- MeSH terms
- Adenosine Triphosphate, Animals, Electron Transport, Energy Metabolism, Fatty Acids, Humans, Mitochondria, Oxidative Phosphorylation, Oxygen Consumption, Carbohydrate Metabolism
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