As the intensity of the exercise increases, the primary fuel source shifts from fatty acids to what substance?

As exercise intensity increases, the body requires a more accessible and readily available source of energy, leading to a shift in fuel utilization from fatty acids to glucose. During lower intensity or endurance activities, fatty acids serve as the primary fuel source because they provide a substantial amount of energy over longer durations. However, as the intensity rises, the demand for quick energy increases, and glucose, which can be metabolized more rapidly than fatty acids, becomes the preferred fuel.

Glucose can be derived from carbohydrates, which are stored in the body as glycogen in muscles and the liver. This rapid conversion process is essential for sustaining higher intensity efforts such as sprinting or high-intensity interval training, where immediate energy availability is paramount. As such, the primary fuel source transitions to glucose to meet the energy demands of the working muscles effectively.

The other options do not serve as primary fuel sources in this context; amino acids generally provide energy only in specific circumstances during prolonged exercise or fasting, mineralocorticoids are hormones involved in fluid and electrolyte balance and not energy production, and glycerol is not used as a main fuel source but can be converted to glucose under specific metabolic conditions.