Tag: Rq value

The respiratory quotient (RQ) is a critical measure in biochemistry, with the average human RQ on a mixed diet being around 0.8. This simple ratio of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen consumed reveals which macronutrient—fats, carbohydrates, or proteins—is primarily being metabolized. Uniquely, fat has the lowest RQ among all macronutrients, a phenomenon rooted in its chemical composition and metabolic pathway.

The human body is an intricate machine, and in the field of indirect calorimetry, a significant indicator of metabolic activity is the Respiratory Quotient (RQ). So, what if RQ is less than 1, you ask? This specific value immediately signals a metabolic shift, indicating that the body is relying on fats or proteins for energy, a process that consumes more oxygen relative to the carbon dioxide produced.

The Respiratory Quotient (RQ) is a powerful physiological indicator that reveals which macronutrient your body is primarily using for energy production. For fat, the RQ value is consistently measured at approximately 0.7, a low figure that holds significant meaning for understanding metabolic processes.