Metabolism involves the chemical processes in the body that occur as food and drink are broken down and turned into fuel for energy. The body’s metabolism supports vital functions that occur around the clock, including breathing, the heart beating, body temperature, blood moving throughout the body, cell repair, and hormone regulation. Since metabolism is necessary every moment, an individual always has to consume a certain number of calories to maintain the processes necessary for life. The amount of calories you need to consume to keep your metabolism operating is known as the basal metabolic rate.
Catabolism occurs when the body takes something large and breaks it down into its essential building blocks, like simple sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids. For example, when we digest a sandwich we ate for lunch, the body breaks it down into simple carbohydrates like glucose through the digestion process. If we are not receiving the nutrients we need from food or drink, catabolism will break down muscle and stored fat in the body for energy.
Anabolism involves taking the building blocks of life – amino acids, simple carbohydrates like glucose and sucrose, and fatty acids – and creating something larger. It is the opposite of catabolism, building up instead of breaking down. Examples of anabolism include the building of proteins important to the clotting factor pathway when you give yourself a papercut. Anabolism helps with your body’s ability to heal itself. It also helps build muscle, fat reserves, and make new cells.
Hormones act as chemical messengers in the body, prompting catabolic or anabolic processes to begin.
Hormones that activate catabolic processes are activated under stress, when the body believes that it will need access to nutrients for excess energy in the moment. For example, if you’re running to catch the bus, your body may perceive the situation as life-or-death and start to break down reserve energy for you to use.
Some of these hormones include adrenaline, cortisol, and glucagon.
Hormones that activate anabolic processes are released when the body is at rest or in need of growth and repair. These hormones include oestrogen, insulin, testosterone, and human growth hormone.
Anabolism equates to how much energy the body uses while catabolism equates to how much energy the body takes in. These processes work together to maintain a stable metabolic rate for you. You can think of them as counterbalances to each other, working together to make sure your basic body functions like the heart beating and breathing occur normally – not too fast, not too slow.
It’s important to consider anabolism and catabolism when doing exercise. Some workouts will build muscle and fat, while others are specifically designed to burn away energy.
It’s important to understand that if you take in more calories than you burn, you are more likely to experience chronic health issues like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic disorders.
Some conditions affect metabolism. People with Cushing’s syndrome and hypothyroidism are more likely to experience weight gain.
Metabolic disorders affect the body’s ability to break down certain nutrients. They are always inherited – lifestyle does not determine whether or not you have a metabolic disorder.
Inherited metabolic disorders include hemochromatosis, mitochondrial diseases, Tay-Sachs disease, Maple Syrup Urine disease, Wilson disease, and Gaucher disease.
Other factors that affect metabolism include:
Exercise, a healthy diet and regular eating schedule, and overall positive lifestyle choices can help keep your metabolism in a healthy place. You can also talk to your doctor about recommendations for improved health.