The body needs energy for every organ of the body to function properly. Energy is produced through the body's metabolic processes by changing the food and drinks consumed. With energy, you can carry out daily activities, such as walking, working, and exercising.
Body metabolism is a chemical process that occurs in the body's cells to convert the food and drinks you consume into energy. Energy is needed by the body to keep cells and body tissues healthy, grow and develop, and function properly.
Some of the body's functions that are affected by metabolic processes are breathing, digesting food, circulating blood, repairing and renewing cells, controlling body temperature, triggering muscle contractions, eliminating waste through urine and feces, and maintaining brain and nerve function.
How Metabolism Works
The body's metabolism works through two processes, namely catabolism and anabolism, which take place simultaneously. Here is the explanation:
catabolism
Catabolism is the process of processing and breaking down nutrients and burning calories from food for later use by the body as energy. Through metabolic processes, the protein content in food and beverages is converted into amino acids, fats are converted into fatty acids, and carbohydrates are converted into simple sugars (glucose).
Furthermore, the body will use sugar, amino acids, and fatty acids as a source of energy when needed. These substances are absorbed from the digestive system into the blood and distributed to body cells. The process of converting sugar into energy is called glycolysis.
Anabolism
Anabolism is the process of renewing and repairing body cells through burning calories using energy produced by the body through the catabolism process.
If you consume more calories from food or drink, then the body will store the excess energy produced as fat tissue.
Things That Affect the Body's Metabolism
Metabolic rate or how many calories the body burns to produce energy generally varies from person to person. This is influenced by the following factors:
1. Body size and composition
People who are larger and more muscular are able to burn more energy, even when they are resting. This is because muscle tissue is more active in the metabolic process than fat tissue.
2. Gender
Men's bodies usually burn more energy than women's. This is because men often have more muscle tissue and less body fat than women.
3. Age
With age, the amount of muscle tends to decrease but the amount of fat increases. This can slow down metabolic processes or burn calories to produce energy.
4. Genetics
Genetic or hereditary factors can affect the growth and size of muscle tissue. This will later be able to affect the energy burning or metabolism of a person's body.
5. Body temperature
Metabolism will naturally increase when the body temperature decreases (hypothermia) or when the body is cold. This aims to increase body temperature to return to normal, so that the organs of the body can function properly.
6. Intake of caffeine or stimulants
Metabolism can increase if you consume drinks that contain stimulants such as caffeine. This substance is naturally found in coffee and tea. In addition, the body's metabolism can also increase when taking drugs that are stimulants, such as methylphenidate and amphetamines.
7. Hormones
The hormone that functions to regulate the body's metabolism is the thyroid hormone. Therefore, disruption of the production or work of thyroid hormones can increase or decrease the body's metabolism.
8. Pregnancy
Metabolism in a pregnant woman's body will increase to support the process of growth and development of the organs and tissues of the fetus. Metabolic processes will usually begin to increase when pregnancy reaches the age of 15 weeks until entering the third trimester.
9. Consumption of food and drink
Lack of eating and drinking can slow down the body's metabolism. Conversely, the body's metabolism can increase if you eat or drink a lot, especially if the food or drink consumed contains lots of calories and nutrients (such as protein) and antioxidants such as polyphenols.
10. Activity level
Various types of exercise and physical activity can trigger the body to burn more energy, especially if exercise is done regularly.
Disorders of the Body's Metabolism
A healthy body metabolism takes place in a balanced manner, neither too high nor too low. However, the metabolic process can sometimes be disturbed.
The following are some types of diseases or conditions that can disrupt the body's metabolism:
Thyroid disease
The thyroid gland produces the hormone thyroxine which plays a role in determining how fast or slow metabolic chemical reactions occur in a person's body.
An underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) will slow down metabolism because the amount of thyroxine hormone in the body is not sufficient. Meanwhile, an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) will release the hormone thyroxine in greater quantities so that the body's metabolic process becomes faster.
Metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a group of health disorders that occur together. This condition makes the body's metabolic processes become irregular.
People with metabolic syndrome will experience a range of health problems including high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and elevated levels of triglycerides and cholesterol. In addition, people with metabolic syndrome are also more at risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart disease and stroke.
Inherited metabolic disorders
In certain cases, disorders of the body's metabolism can also be caused by inherited disorders, one of which is fructose intolerance.
This condition is an inherited metabolic disorder that makes the sufferer's body unable to process or break down fructose, a type of sugar found in fruits, vegetables, and honey.
Other types of inherited disorders that can interfere with the body's metabolism are galactosemia or the body's inability to convert the carbohydrate galactose into glucose, and phenylketonuria (PKU) or the body's inability to convert the amino acid phenylalanine into tyrosine.
Metabolism is a natural process that occurs in the body. With the body's metabolism, you can carry out daily activities smoothly. You can even increase your metabolism to burn excess fat tissue for a more ideal body weight.
If you have questions about your metabolism or think you have a problem with your metabolism, don't hesitate to consult a doctor.