Approximately what percent of ingested glucose is polymerized into glycogen?

• A. 25%
• B. 50%
• C. 5%
• D. 75%

Answer: (C)

When glucose from a meal enters the bloodstream, the body prioritizes using it for immediate energy and other metabolic needs, while only a small portion is stored as glycogen. The capacity to store glucose as glycogen is limited, and regulatory controls (mainly insulin signaling and glycogen synthase activity) favor directing most glucose toward energy production rather than long-term storage. As a result, only a small fraction of ingested glucose is polymerized into glycogen—about 5%. This reflects the balance between meeting short-term energy demands and the finite storage capacity for glycogen.