Tag: Respiratory quotient

The respiratory quotient (RQ) is the ratio of carbon dioxide exhaled to oxygen consumed during cellular respiration. This simple, dimensionless number offers a profound look into your body’s energy consumption, helping to reveal whether it is primarily metabolizing carbohydrates, fats, or proteins for fuel.

The medical field uses many abbreviations, and while some are common knowledge, others require clarification. What does RQ stand for in medicine? It represents the Respiratory Quotient, a diagnostic tool used to assess a patient's metabolic processes by analyzing the ratio of gases exchanged during respiration.

In human metabolism, a single number can reveal the primary source of your body's energy. This number is known as the Respiratory Quotient (RQ), a vital measurement in physiology. It is the ratio of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen consumed, indicating whether your body is primarily burning fats, carbohydrates, or proteins for fuel.