What is Human Body Metabolism?

Metabolism is the chemical reactions in the body’s cells that change food into energy. Human body need this energy to do everything from moving to thinking to growing.

Specific proteins in the body control the chemical reactions of metabolism. Thousands of metabolic reactions happen at the same time, all regulated by the body, to keep our cells healthy and working.

Metabolism refers to biochemical processes that occur within any living organism, including humans, to maintain life. However, there are various myths and facts about a person’s metabolism.

Despite what promoters of certain brands of “health” foods say, there is little people can do to significantly change their resting metabolic rate.

Although, long-term strategies, such as increasing muscle mass, may eventually have an effect.

However, determining a body’s energy needs, then adapting lifestyle accordingly, will have a quicker effect on altering body weight.

How Does Metabolism Work?

After we eat food, the digestive system uses enzymes to:

• Turn fats into fatty acids
• Break proteins down into amino acids
• Turn carbohydrates into simple sugars (for example, glucose)

Therefore the body can use sugar, amino acids, and fatty acids as energy sources when needed. Additionally, these compounds are absorbed into the blood, which carries them to the cells. Afterward, the compounds enter the cells, other enzymes act to speed up or regulate the chemical reactions involved with “metabolizing” these compounds.

During these processes, the energy from these compounds can be released for use by the body or stored in body tissues, especially the liver, muscles, and body fat.

Furthermore, metabolism is a balancing act involving two kinds of activities that go on at the same time:

• Building up body tissues and energy stores (called anabolism)
• Breaking down body tissues and energy stores to get more fuel for body functions (called catabolism)

Albeit, most people use the term “metabolism” incorrectly for either anabolism or catabolism:

Anabolism is the building up of things, a succession of chemical reactions that builds molecules from smaller components; anabolic processes usually require energy.

Catabolism is the breaking down of things, a series of chemical reactions that break down complex molecules into smaller units; catabolic processes usually release energy.

Catabolism

Catabolism breaks things down and releases energy; it uses larger compounds to create smaller compounds, releasing energy in the process. Therefore, catabolism provides the energy our bodies need for physical activity, from cellular processes to body movements.

Also, catabolic reactions in the cells break down polymers (long chains of molecules) into their monomers (single units). For example:

• Polysaccharides are broken down into monosaccharides – for instance, starch is broken down into glucose.
• Nucleic acids are broken down into nucleotides – nucleic acids, such as those that make up DNA, are broken down to purines, pyrimidines, and pentose sugars. These are involved in the body’s energy supply.
• Proteins are broken down into amino acids – in some circumstances, protein is broken down into amino acids to make glucose.

When we eat, our body breaks down nutrients – this releases energy, which is stored in molecules of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the body. ATP is considered to be “the energy currency of life.”

The energy stored in ATP is the fuel for anabolic reactions. Catabolism creates the energy that anabolism consumes for synthesizing hormones, enzymes, sugars, and other substances for cell growth, reproduction, and tissue repair.

Body Weight

After determining calorie requirements and confirming that there is no underlying condition contributing to weight gain, focusing on three crucial factors is the best approach; these are:

Getting enough sleep

Lack of sleep can contribute to a disturbance in neuroendocrine control of appetite. This may lead to overeating, altered insulin resistance, and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, all of which can lead to weight gain.

Several studies have shown that sleep deprivation damages the body’s ability to regulate eating by lowering levels of leptin, the hormone that tells the body when it is full.

Getting enough Exercise