What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is the complex biochemical process by which the food you eat is converted into the energy your body needs to function. That, in a nut shell, is what metabolism is. Most people look at their metabolism in a more simplistic sense and see it as the thing that influences how their body will gain or lose weight. There are many things that affect our metabolism, from the composition of each individual body to the food we eat and how active we are.

Every living thing gets the energy it needs from the food, or nutrients, it eats. The human body is no different. Without food we run out of fuel and our metabolic engine, the body, stops working. There is more to metabolism then just converting nutrients into energy. It also aids in the digestive process and the absorption of nutrients into the cells as well as breaking down and removing harmful substances, such as drugs, poisons, and alcohol from the body.

There are specific proteins in the body that control the chemical reactions of metabolism and each chemical reaction is coordinated with other body functions. There are several hormones produced by the endocrine system that control the rate of the metabolic process. Thyroxine, which is a hormone produced and released by the thyroid, plays a key role in determining how fast or slow the chemical reactions of metabolism occur in the body.

There are two basic components of metabolism. The first is Anabolism, or constructive metabolism, which is the building and storing function of the metabolic process. It supports the growth of new cells, the maintenance of body tissues, and the storage of energy (fat storage) for future use. The second component is Catabolism, or destructive metabolism, which is the process that produces the energy required for all activity in the cells.

During this biochemical process, calories from carbohydrates, fats and proteins are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function. The number of calories your body burns each day is called your total energy expenditure. Even when your body is at rest, it requires energy for the basics, such as fuel for organs, breathing, circulating blood, adjusting hormone levels, plus growing and repairing cells. Typically, a person's basal metabolic rate is the largest portion of energy use, representing two-thirds to three-quarters of the calories used each day. For the most part, your body's energy requirement to process food stays relatively steady and isn't easily changed. Weight gain is more likely due to an energy imbalance consuming more calories than your body burns.

Skipping meals or reducing caloric intake by a large amount is not a good idea either, because the body will actually slow its metabolism to conserve energy. Creating a demand to burn more calories is the best way to increase metabolism. People who exercise on a regular basis naturally can eat more food without gaining weight because they use more calories. When the body is not supplemented with additional calories, as when the person eats a normal healthy diet, this tends to increase metabolism with resultant weight loss.

Metabolism is a necessary process, without which living organisms would die and it is important to not only know what is metabolism, but to also take care of your body so that your metabolism is able to remain consistent.

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