LEFT OR RIGHT: Does It Matter?

Have you ever wondered why you are right handed (or left handed) while some of your friends are left handed (or right handed)? Is there a difference in terms of personality, talent or motor skills like playing golf or basketball, if you do it using your right or left hand? What if we are all right or left handed?

Why is it that the pair of scissors, pen, kitchen knife, or hammers can be used whether a person is right or left handed? Why is it that you cannot wear your right hand glove to your left hand? How about the things we can not see, like molecules, do this display handedness?

You may be aware that handedness (being right or left) matters somehow. You knew well that something is not right if you wear your right slipper to your left foot. Same with your shoes and gloves. But it does not matter with your pair of scissors, pen, kitchen knife, or hammers, right handed or left handed will do as long as you do it "right" and not "left" doing!

In the molecular world, handedness matters a lot. Like shoes and gloves, molecules can be "right handed" or "left handed". To simplify, let us assign D for right handedness while L is for left handedness. The building blocks of proteins, amino acids are in the L-configuration and carbohydrates like glucose are in the D-configuration. Our body will convert glucose to energy if these are made up of D-configurations BUT NOT the L-configuration type. This means that our body will not be able to obtain energy from L-type glucose. There must be a right fit for you to get the right product.

It is important that you know what you will take inside your body. Some drugs display handedness and you might be taking the WRONG HAND! Make sure you consult your doctor before taking any medications.