Metabolism is a process in which your body breaks down different types of food to use as fuel and removes waste from the body. Issues that arise with this process are known as metabolic disorders.
There are multiple types of metabolic disorders, including:
There are also hundreds of metabolic diseases caused by gene changes passed down within families. These inherited genetic disorders work in different ways to stop your body from properly breaking down substances, using or storing fuel, or creating the energy it needs to function.
Symptoms caused by metabolic disorders like diabetes and metabolic syndrome include increased thirst or hunger, frequent urination, weight loss, blurry vision, or extremely dry skin.
Mitochondrial diseases or inherited genetic disorders may lead to a lack of growth, developmental delays, muscle pain or weakness, poor vision, hearing problems, heart disease, kidney or liver problems, thyroid conditions, frequent infections, or seizures.
Some metabolic disorders are caused by an unhealthy lifestyle. You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes or metabolic disorder if you:
Many mitochondrial diseases and other inherited metabolic disorders develop due to gene mutations. If a parent or family member has one of these conditions, you may be at increased risk of also developing the disease. Mitochondrial diseases can also be caused by other health conditions such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, muscular dystrophy, or cancer.
Getting regular physical exams can help you detect certain signs of metabolic disorders. Your doctor can use blood tests to measure factors such as your blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Additional metabolic tests may be needed to diagnose other conditions such as mitochondrial diseases. For these tests, your doctor may need to take a sample of the fluid that surrounds your brain and spinal cord (perform a spinal tap).
Your doctor can confirm or rule out genetic conditions by performing a blood test or swabbing the inside of your cheek to analyse your genes.
If you don’t take steps to manage your metabolic disorder, you may experience more serious health problems called complications.
Diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, liver disease, hearing problems, vision problems, nerve damage, or skin conditions.
Metabolic syndrome can increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, or stroke.
Practising healthy lifestyle habits can help you lower your risk of developing metabolic disorders, improve your quality of life while living with these conditions, and prevent complications caused by these diseases. Try maintaining a healthy weight, eating foods that contain more nutrients such as fibre, getting more activity throughout each day, lowering your stress levels, limiting how much alcohol you drink, and stopping smoking.
Medication is sometimes necessary to help you control your blood sugar levels, blood pressure, or cholesterol levels. Certain vitamins may also help treat mitochondrial diseases. If you have an inherited metabolic disorder, you may have to change your diet.
If you have a metabolic disorder that affects your strength or ability to carry out daily tasks, physical activity, occupational therapy, or speech therapy may help.