The storage form of glucose in humans and animals, consisting of a highly branched polysaccharide structure. It is primarily stored in the liver and skeletal muscles. Liver glycogen is used to maintain blood glucose homeostasis between meals, while muscle glycogen serves as a localized energy source for muscle contraction during physical activity.
The body's capacity to store glycogen is limited; once these stores are full, any additional glucose consumed is converted into fat through de novo lipogenesis. In low-carbohydrate protocols, the depletion of glycogen stores is a necessary precursor to shifting the metabolism toward fat oxidation and the production of ketones.
The definitive guide by Russell Clark, FNP-C, APRN