What is Metabolism: The Process of Metabolism & How It Works
The Process of Metabolism
You have probably heard the word “metabolism” many times in your life. These days, it is a word often discussed in terms of weight loss. But did you know that the process of metabolism is not just about weight loss or weight gain? Did you know that if the process of metabolism in your body comes to a halt, you would die? Yes indeed, metabolism is a process which begins in all living things when they are conceived and stops when they die. And if metabolism stops, a human being dies. So, how does metabolism work and how does it sustain life?
Simply put, metabolism is a series of chemical reactions in the body that convert the fuel from food into energy. These chemical reactions occur in the cells of the body, which are the most basic unit of life. The energy produced through these chemical reactions is then used to do everything from moving to talking to thinking and to growing. In fact, there are thousands of metabolic reactions working inside your body right now as you are reading this article.
So, how does human metabolism work? Well, let’s begin with the process of digestion. Since the molecules that food is made of are too large to pass through the lining of our digestive system, the enzymes present in it break them down into smaller molecules. This means that proteins break down into amino acids, fats into fatty acids, and carbohydrates into simple sugars. Once broken down, these compounds are absorbed into the bloodstream and they are carried to the individual cells throughout a person’s body.
Once they enter the cells, these molecules are metabolized. As the process of metabolism occurs inside the cells, the energy generated is either released for use by the body or stored in the tissues of the body. So, basically there are two kinds of metabolic reactions taking place. Anabolism or constructive metabolism builds and stores energy. These chemical reactions grow new cells, maintain the tissues of the body, and store energy for future use. Catabolism or constructive metabolism is the process in which large molecules are broken down into smaller ones to release energy. The release of energy provides the fuel for anabolic processes and heats the body.
Metabolism and Weight Loss
So, how are metabolism and weight loss related? This can be understood by how calories work. As most people know, a calorie is a unit that measures how much energy a particular food provides to the body. If you eat too many calories, i.e., more than your body needs, it is stored in the form of excess body fat. Another thing to consider here is the number of calories that you burn in a day. This is affected by how much you exercise, the energy you burn while digesting and metabolizing food (the thermic effect of food) and what is known as your basal metabolic rate. The BMR is the rate at which your body burns calories while you are resting. If you have a low BMR, you will gain more weight than a person with a high BMR. In brief, a high exercise level, a high thermic effect of food, and a high BMR means you are more likely to lose weight as compared to someone who has a lower level of these metabolic components.
So, now you know what is metabolism. It’s not just a process that helps you lose or gain weight. It’s an essential process in your body that is responsible for maintaining and sustaining the basic functions of the body.
References
Kidshealth: What is metabolism
https://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/body_basics/metabolism.html
Virtual Chembook, Elmhurst College: Overview of Metabolism