A liver biopsy of a four-year-old boy indicated that the fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase enzyme activity was 20% of normal.

A liver biopsy of a four-year-old boy indicated that the fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase enzyme activity was 20% of normal. The patient's blood glucose levels were normal at the beginning of a fast but then decreased suddenly. Pyruvate and alanine concentrations were also elevated, as was the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate/dihydroxyacetone phosphate ratio. Explain the reason for these symptoms.