Is sucrose found in the human body? In a plant, glucose is transported as sucrose, so is it the same in humans?

1 Answer
Aug 30, 2016

Humans take sucrose in diet as sugar. It is broken down in digestive tract into glucose and fructose, which are absorbed in blood. Sucrose is not transported by blood.

Explanation:

Sucrose is a disaccharide molecule, hence cannot be absorbed. Enzymatic break down of sucrose produces two monosaccharides, glucose and fructose.

Monosaccharides are absorbed from gut into the blood. Blood distributes glucose to all living cells of the body where glucose is used to produce energy.

When people need instant energy to come over conditions like low blood sugar or dehydration, heat stroke, etc. dextrose solution is injected in vein along with isotonic saline solution. Dextrose is a form of glucose. Cells of our body are not capable of using sugar in sucrose form.