Final answer:
When more calories are consumed than needed, the excess energy is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells or as triglycerides in adipose tissues. Excess glucose gets converted to fatty acids for storage when glycogen stores are full. These fats can later be broken down for energy when needed.
Step-by-step explanation:
When more calories are consumed than are needed, the extra energy is not used immediately. Instead, it is stored in various forms within the body. If energy is exerted soon after eating, the recent intake of dietary fats and sugars is processed and used for energy.
If there is no immediate need for this energy, the excess glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells. When glycogen stores are full, any additional glucose is converted into fatty acids. These fatty acids are stored as triglycerides in adipose tissues, which are fat cells whose primary role is to store fat for later use.
Approximately half of the excess fat is stored in adipocytes in the subcutaneous tissue under the skin, and the rest in adipocytes in other tissues and organs. When energy is required between meals, hormones stimulate the adipose tissue to release some of these stored triglycerides into the bloodstream, which can then be broken down into energy for the body. Overall, the extra calories can be stored as triglycerides for later use, converted into acetyl-CoA during metabolic processes, and finally contribute to energy production in the form of ATP.