What is metabolism? Understanding How Metabolism Works
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You may have heard that you have a fast, or slow metabolism, or that you need to boost your metabolism, but what is “metabolism”?
It’s simply the way your body turns nutrients into energy.
Whenever you eat a piece of pie, or drink your favorite soda, your body works extra hard in processing the nutrients you just ate. Once your body digests the food, it becomes the fuel or energy your body needs. This process is called metabolism.
Medically, metabolism is composed of several chemical reactions that take place in your body’s cells. When these reactions occur, it converts nutrients into the energy your body needs to move, think, grow and function normally.
Certain proteins in your body control these chemical reactions and each of these reactions of metabolism is coordinated with specific body functions. Your body regulates all the metabolic reactions that occur daily. Metabolism is an important, yet complicated and constant process that it important for all living things. It starts as soon as you’re born and ends instantly when you die.
Two Important Process Involved In Metabolism
Not only humans have metabolism; it occurs even in plants and animals. For instance, plants take energy directly from sunlight and use this energy to build sugars. When animals or people eat these same plants, they absorb the sugar and break it down to become energy. The energy is then distributed throughout the body’s cells. The cells can either use this energy instantly or store it within body tissues for future use.
Metabolism involves a balance of two processes that occur at the same time – the storing of energy for tissue development and the breaking down of sugars to generate energy for your body.
The two metabolic processes are known as anabolism and catabolism. It is important to balance these procedures to ensure the energy is distributed properly. Constructive metabolism, also known as anabolism, is a process that stores the energy to build tissues. It helps in developing new body cells, maintaining tissues and storing of energy for later use.
On the other hand, destructive metabolism or catabolism is the process that converts nutrients into energy for your body’s daily fuel needs. During this process, the energy is released into your body for heat, movement, muscle contraction and other normal body activities.
Metabolism is one of the most complicated chemical processes that occur in the bodies of living things. Because of its complexity, many people describe the metabolic process as something that influences and determines how your body loses or gains weight. Several factors, such as diet, physical activities and genes determine your metabolic rate. For this reason, metabolism varies from one person to the next. Meaning, while one person loses weight easily, others find it difficult to keep them off.
Diets and your metabolism - eat more, and lose weight
If you’re on a diet, remember your metabolism. Your metabolism needs FOOD to burn. If it doesn’t get enough food, it will slow. This means that not only will you be tired all the time, but your body will need less food - this means that you can put on weight, even on a diet. So if you’re dieting, it’s absolutely vital that you keep eating, to keep your metabolism humming along.
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