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Drug Metabolism - how your body copes with drugs

April 14th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

The process by which your body deals with ingested drugs is called drug metabolism.

Drugs must be metabolized because they are xenobiotics, or foreign molecules. In order to be excreted from the body, most drugs need to undergo a structural alteration, which is where drug metabolism comes in. Drugs are metabolized in the liver by enzymes, where they are changed into metabolites. These metabolites are bound to other materials and then excreted from the body.

Drug metabolism is the body’s reaction to the foreign substance that is invading it; however, it is sometimes necessary for the drug to be in the body, especially if it is being used to fight a disease or sickness. Scientists who develop antibiotics often face the problem that the drug metabolism will either act too quickly or not quickly enough when it comes to removing drugs from the system. Thus, the study of drug metabolism serves a practical purpose in today’s world.

Where Do The Drugs Go?

After drug metabolism has occurred, the drugs are excreted through the body. The drugs take different routes when leaving the body; most importantly, the kidney plays a major role in drug excretion. Other ways that drugs can be excreted include: through feces, saliva, sweat, and tears. Drugs can also be excreted from the body through breast milk. This is why women who are nursing are forbidden from using most drugs whilst they are nursing; while the drugs cannot harm them, they can cause a lot of harm to the baby.

How rapidly?

The rate of drug metabolism varies from person to person. This is why, for most drugs, there are recommended dosages that vary according to either weight or age. The factors that affect the rate of drug metabolism include: environment, nutrition, genetics, and age.

The rate of drug metabolism can also change due to interactions that can occur with other drugs, foods, or beverages. For example, grapefruit juice is known to reduce the metabolic rate of certain drugs. Other foods and drinks that can affect the metabolism of drugs include: beer, wine, aged cheese, dried fruits, smoked meats, milk, cream, and dairy.

What is metabolism? Understanding How Metabolism Works

March 23rd, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

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.

Boost your metabolism - get more energy, more drive, and more enthusiasm for your life

March 9th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Are you tired all the time? You may have a sluggish metabolism. Try the simple tips in this article, and you’ll boost your metabolism in no time.

Little Known Secrets To Boost Metabolism

If you feel fatigued most of the time, find it difficult to lose weight, experience abnormal weight gain and have been diagnosed with metabolic disorders, you are probably experiencing a significant drop in metabolic rate that usually accompanies a serious condition called hypothyroidism or inactivity of the thyroid. When this happens, you have to boost metabolism to allow proper storage and usage of energy that your body needs.

Metabolism is an important process that absorbs, converts and uses energy to perform all kinds of body functions, such as moving or thinking. While this process may sound simple, you need to understand that your metabolic rate should not be too low or too high. For this reason, a drop in your metabolic rate causes your whole body to become unhealthy. The only way to treat this is to increase metabolic rate naturally.

Effective Ways To Boost Metabolism

If you want to lose excess weight, treat metabolism disorders or prepare for the metabolic deceleration associated with aging, you can follow these five surefire ways to boost metabolism without taking supplements.

The secret of most bodybuilders is that they have a balanced metabolic rate. While some people are born to have an effective metabolism, others need to boost metabolism through exercise. This is the most traditional and effective way in increasing metabolism.

Since metabolism normally slows down as people age, you can counter this natural occurrence by building muscles and keeping physically active. Be aware that muscles are important in metabolizing food, burning calories and losing body fat. To build muscles and boost metabolism, you need to perform strength training and aerobic exercises at least three times each week.

While people who try to lose weight avoid eating food, you should understand that, in order to boost metabolism, you have to eat regularly. Contrary to popular belief, a low-calorie diet slows down metabolism. For this reason, you should eat small meals every four hours to help increase your metabolism and to aid weight loss. In addition, you have to eat breakfast daily, avoid sugar and include spicy foods to your diet.

Another thing to keep in mind when you try to boost metabolism is to drink lots of water to keep any toxins out. Caffeine can also assist with increasing metabolism, but you have to look for healthier options, such as green tea, to ensure you will not compromise your health. Nicotine or coffee, for instance, can give a boost in your metabolism, but can cause severe health conditions.

You don’t need supplements to increase metabolism, especially if you don’t have any metabolic disorders. All you need is a little change of lifestyle and you can lose all the weight you need.

The benefits of a top metabolism

Here are some benefits of boosting your metabolism:

* You’ll lose weight faster

* You’ll have more energy

* You’ll have more drive and will get more done in less time

* You’ll feel a decade younger

Copyright © 2007 Top Metabolism

Credits: 30 Day Slimmer | Matteo Turchetto | Andreas Viklund