What is the purpose of gluconeogenesis?

Question

The gluconeogenesis pathway seems quite pointless to me. I don't understand why an organism would want to spend energy to create a molecule that can then be metabolized again for less energy? The pathway seems only to serve as a complete waste of energy?Can someone explain why we have gluconeogenesis and when it is used?

Answer 1

A similar question: What's the point of economic currency? Why do we use quarters at the laundromat and 100's for larger transactions? Why can't we use dimes at the laundromat?

Glucose is the body's currency for energy. Glucose "travels well" and is the brain's preferred fuel. The liver has, among other jobs, the job of making glucose when there is an insufficient amount supplied by diet (during fasting or keto diets).

As for why fat doesn't travel well, it is intended to be a storage form for energy. It is compact and not water-soluble. Some people get fat embolisms when chunks of fat travel through their bloodstream (broken bones, etc). No chance we could get a glucose embolism.

Hope this helps!