Glycogen, << GLY kuh juhn, >> is a tasteless, odorless white powder. Glycogen is a carbohydrate (see Carbohydrate ). It is made up of units of a simple sugar called glucose, linked together in branched chains.
Glycogen is formed and stored in the liver and muscles. It is made from excess starch and sugars in the body. The starch and sugars are first converted to glucose. Excess glucose is then changed into glycogen. Glycogen is often called animal starch. It is a reserve food and is easily reconverted to glucose. Liver glycogen regulates the sugar level in the blood. In the muscles, liver glycogen is converted to glucose when the body needs energy.
