Contents:
- Medical Video: Metabolism & Nutrition, part 1: Crash Course A&P #36
- What is metabolism?
- What's the difference with the digestive process?
- The stages of the body's metabolic processes
- What are the problems or disorders that can attack the body's metabolic system?
- Thyroid disease (hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism)
- Diabetes
- Inborn metabolic disorders
- Ways to increase the body's metabolism
Medical Video: Metabolism & Nutrition, part 1: Crash Course A&P #36
You may be familiar with the word metabolism. Every living thing can function and survive thanks to the body's metabolism. However, do you really understand what the term really means? What happens when the body is metabolizing?
What is metabolism?
Metabolism is the process of processing food nutrients that have been absorbed by the body to be converted into energy. The energy formed is then used to support all bodily functions, from breathing, thinking, growing, to each of your movements to carry out various daily activities.
This process consists of a series of chemical reactions that occur in the body's cells. Every chemical reaction works according to other body functions. In fact, thousands of metabolic reactions occur simultaneously under the control of the body to keep cells healthy and functioning.
What's the difference with the digestive process?
The process of digesting is actually more interpreted as a process carried out by the body to process and break down food into nutrients. This process occurs entirely in the digestive organs, such as the stomach and intestines.
Meanwhile, metabolic processes can occur in various cells in the body that are controlled by special proteins. This energy formation process has even begun since the first time you formed in the womb, and will stop when you die.
Simply put, metabolism is preceded by a digestive process.
The stages of the body's metabolic processes
Metabolism is a basic process that occurs in everyone. Not only humans, but animals and plants also experience the same process in order to function normally. In humans, the body's metabolism works in two ways, namely catabolism and anabolism.
Catabolism is the stage of energy formation and storage. This energy production process occurs when you eat rice or other staple foods which are then converted by the body to become the main energy. After the food is chewed and crushed in the mouth, then enter the stomach to be digested and extracted. After that, these nutrients will be formed into a new substance and carried in the bloodstream to be delivered to every cell of the body to carry out its functions.
Conversely, anabolism is the stage of burning energy.Anabolism will spend energy because it is used to repair damaged tissue and build new ones, and to produce various hormones.
What are the problems or disorders that can attack the body's metabolic system?
Like a computer system or a mechanical process that can experience certain problems or disorders, the body's metabolism can also be interrupted at any time.
Metabolic disorders refer to all diseases or conditions caused by abnormal chemical reactions in your body's cells. It could be an abnormal enzyme or hormone level, or the work of enzymes and hormones that do not function properly.
When the body's chemical reactions are blocked or damaged, deficiency or accumulation of toxic substances can occur which causes serious symptoms.
Some of the most common examples of metabolic disorders are:
Thyroid disease (hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism)
The thyroid gland is a small butterfly-shaped organ located on the lower neck. Its function is to produce the hormone thyroxine which supports the metabolic process to maintain the functions of various vital functions of the body, especially the heart, brain, muscles and skin.
Thyroid disease occurs when the thyroid gland is disrupted, either becoming less active (hypothyroid) or overactive (hyperthyroidism).
Symptoms of hyperthyroidism are weight loss, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure, protruding eyes, and swollen neck glands (goiter). Meanwhile, hypothyroidism is characterized by a body that is easily exhausted and weak, slow heartbeat, weight gain, and constipation.
Diabetes
Diabetes or commonly called diabetes is caused by a disruption in the body's metabolic processes to produce the hormone insulin. This will cause the body to lack insulin so that blood sugar levels increase abnormally.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the pancreas cannot produce enough insulin, while type 2 diabetes results from a body that is unable to respond to insulin properly. This is known as insulin resistance.
As conditions develop, this disease can cause kidney problems, pain caused by nerve damage, blindness and heart and blood vessel disease.
Inborn metabolic disorders
Here are some examples of congenital metabolic disorders, including:
- Galactosemia: babies born with galactosemia do not have enough galactose enzymes that break down sugar in milk.
- Phenylketonuria: this condition is caused by a defect in an enzyme that breaks down the amino acid phenylalanine. This enzyme is needed for normal growth and protein production.
Sometimes, congenital metabolic disorders can result in serious problems if not treated early.
Ways to increase the body's metabolism
- Eat lots of protein every meal.
- Drink lots of water.
- Perform high-intensity sports.
- Weightlifting. Lifting heavy weights is important for forming and maintaining muscle. The more your muscles, the higher your body's metabolism.
- Drink green tea or oolong tea.
- Eat spicy food.
- Deep sleep. Sleep deprivation can reduce the number of calories you burn, affecting the way you process sugar and interfere with appetite-regulating hormones.
- Drinking coffee. Surprisingly, drinking coffee can increase metabolism and help you lose weight.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
