Carbohydrates Panel in Metabolomics Services

Chemical-composition-of-carbohydrates

Chemical-composition-of-carbohydrates

A carbohydrates panel measures various sugars and metabolites in biological samples like blood, urine, or tissue. These tests provide insights into metabolism, energy balance, and health. They help detect metabolic disorders, monitor nutritional status, and investigate disease processes.

1. What Is a Carbohydrates Panel?

The panel analyzes different types of carbohydrates, including:

  • Monosaccharides: Simple sugars such as glucose, fructose, and galactose, which are key energy sources.
  • Disaccharides: Sugars like sucrose and lactose, formed by two linked monosaccharides.
  • Oligosaccharides and Polysaccharides: Chains of sugars, such as glycogen and starch, used for energy storage.
  • Sugar Alcohols: Compounds like sorbitol and mannitol, which play roles in metabolism.

2. How Are Carbohydrates Measured?

Various techniques ensure accurate carbohydrate measurement:

  • LC-MS (Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry): Detects carbohydrates with high sensitivity.
  • GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry): Analyzes volatile derivatives for precise results.
  • NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) Spectroscopy: Identifies carbohydrate structures without complex preparations.
  • Capillary Electrophoresis (CE): Separates carbohydrates by charge and size.

3. Applications of Carbohydrates Panels

Carbohydrates panels have many uses:

  • Metabolic Disorders:
    • Detects issues like diabetes, glycogen storage diseases, and congenital glycosylation disorders.
    • Identifies abnormalities in carbohydrate metabolism linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome.
  • Nutritional Assessment:
    • Evaluates dietary sugar intake and metabolism.
    • Tracks the effects of different diets or nutritional changes.
  • Energy Metabolism and Sports:
    • Studies how carbohydrates fuel exercise and recovery.
    • Assesses the impact of carbohydrate supplements on performance.
  • Digestive Health:
    • Analyzes carbohydrate digestion to diagnose conditions like lactose intolerance.
    • Monitors how gut microbiota influence carbohydrate breakdown.

4. Detection Limits for Common Carbohydrates

Here’s a table listing carbohydrates by type, along with their Lower Limit of Quantification (LLOQ) values in serum/plasma:

Carbohydrate Type LLOQ in Serum/Plasma (µg/ml)
Glucose Monosaccharide 0.5
Fructose Monosaccharide 0.4
Galactose Monosaccharide 0.3
Sucrose Disaccharide 0.2
Lactose Disaccharide 0.5
Maltose Disaccharide 0.3
Glycogen Polysaccharide 1.0
Starch Polysaccharide 1.5
Sorbitol Sugar Alcohol 0.2
Mannitol Sugar Alcohol 0.3
Xylitol Sugar Alcohol 0.2
Trehalose Disaccharide 0.4
Raffinose Oligosaccharide 0.8
Inulin Polysaccharide 2.0
Arabinose Monosaccharide 0.3
Ribose Monosaccharide 0.2
Cellobiose Disaccharide 0.6
Amylopectin Polysaccharide 2.5
Erythritol Sugar Alcohol 0.3
Fucose Monosaccharide 0.4

5. Benefits of Carbohydrates Panels

  • Early Detection: Spots metabolic problems before symptoms appear.
  • Detailed Insights: Offers a clear view of energy balance and metabolism.
  • Personalized Care: Supports customized diets and treatment plans.
  • Treatment Monitoring: Tracks changes in carbohydrate levels during therapies.

6. Challenges and Considerations

  • Sample Stability: Some carbohydrates can degrade, requiring careful storage.
  • Variability: Diet, activity, and daily cycles can affect levels.
  • Data Complexity: Interpreting results requires specialized knowledge.

7. Emerging Trends

  • Multi-Omics Integration: Combines carbohydrate data with other molecular information for a complete picture.
  • Real-Time Tracking: New technologies allow continuous monitoring.
  • Biomarker Discovery: Identifies specific carbohydrates linked to health conditions.

8. Conclusion

Carbohydrates panels provide valuable insights into energy metabolism, health, and disease. They are essential for diagnosing conditions, optimizing nutrition, and guiding personalized care. As technology advances, these tests will become even more crucial in precision medicine and metabolic research.

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Ref:

Chandel NS. Carbohydrate Metabolism. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2021 Jan 4;13(1):a040568.

Martín-Rodríguez, Alexandra & Clemente-Suárez, Vicente & Tornero-Aguilera, Jose & Redondo Flórez, Laura & Ramos-Campo, Domingo & Miegol-Ayuso, Juan. (2022). The Burden of Carbohydrates in Health and Disease. Nutrients. 14. 10.3390/nu14183809.