Question

Many of our simple sugars and complex carbohydrates are made of glucose, galactose and fructose. In the body, these molecules are converted into energy via numerous pathways including cellular respiration. What are the final products of cellular respiration? In summary, what has happened to the glucose molecule? (Note: This question is not asking for a detailed description of the pathway and the steps but instead a comparison of the glucose molecule to the final product.)

Answer 1

in cellular respiration the energy in the food is converted to energy that can be used by the body cells.

here Glucose via glycolysis gets converted to pyruvate

Glucose + 2 NAD⁺ + 2 P_i + 2 ADP → 2 pyruvate + 2 NADH + 2 ATP + 2 H⁺ + 2 H₂O + heat

this pyruvate further undergoes oxidation via krebs cycle to give CO2 and ATP

2Acetyl COA + 6 NAD+ 2FAD+ 2ADP +2Pi------à4CO₂ + 6NADH+ 6H⁺ + 2FADH₂ +2ATP

so the end products of cellular respiration would be CO₂, ATP, H₂O