Sources of Energy: Glycogen

Glycogen is a complex carbohydrate made from many hundreds or thousands of glucose molecules. It is an animal analog of starch.

Glycogen is made and stored primarily in the liver and muscles. Because it can be readily broken down into glucose molecules, it is an important energy reserve. The amount of energy stored in the body’s entire glycogen reserve is low and can be expended in a matter of hours.

The chemical structure and a ball and stick figure of a glycogen molecule.