A Mathematical Model for Nutrient Metabolic Chemistry

Abstract

A model based on chemical kinetics for the rate of utilization and/or storage of carbohydrates, fats and proteins is derived and analyzed. This system is studied under different conditions of supply and usage and for short term dynamics and long term dynamics. Both the short term and long term models indicate that starting above an equilibrium threshold leads to growth of the stored species. Results from the short-term and long-term submodels show that the qualitative behavior depends on the levels of certain enzymes. The analysis of a model for enzyme dynamics indicates that the steady-state level of an enzyme should depend on the rate of supply of the substrate.