The word “metabolism” is often used in relation to weight loss. But most of us are not really aware about what it is and how human metabolism works. Learning about this process can help improve your understanding of how your body functions and why different foods and activities have a different effect on your body than on someone else. Here’s a brief look on how human metabolism works.

What is metabolism?

If we want to understand how human metabolism works, the first thing we need to know is that metabolism is actually a collection of chemical reactions that occurs in the cells of the body. These chemical reactions convert the fuel in the food that we consume into the energy that is required to maintain and sustain the basic functions of the body. It is a process that begins when we are conceived and it only ends when we die. It is necessary for our survival and is constantly working, even while we are sleeping.

How does human metabolism work?

When we eat food, enzymes in the digestive system break the proteins into amino acids, fats into fatty acids, and carbohydrates into glucose. Once broken down, these compounds are ready to be used by the body. So, they are absorbed into the bloodstream and taken to the cells of the body. When they enter the cells, other enzymes begin the chemical reactions and these compounds are metabolized.

As these processes take place, the energy generated from these compounds is either released for being used by the body or is stored in the tissues of the body. Anabolism or constructive metabolism is the process of building and storing energy. This process is responsible for growing new cells, maintaining the various tissues of the body, and for storing energy for future use. Catabolism or destructive metabolism has its own importance since it is this process that actually provides the energy required for all cell activities including anabolism. It also provides heat to the body and helps the muscles to contract and move the body.

How is human metabolism related to weight?

Most people want to know about how human metabolism works because they want to learn how it can help in weight loss. This is where calories play a role. Calories are the amount of energy that is provided to the body by different foods. The body either burns these calories to convert it into energy or stores it as fat. And the speed at which your body burns these calories is determined by your level of physical activity, the energy you burn while digesting and metabolizing food (thermic effect of food or TEF), and your basal metabolic rate (BMR). All three of them are important components of human metabolism and have an influence on your weight. The higher the level of these metabolic components, the more likely you are to lose weight.

Disorders such as hyper- or hypo-thyroidism, Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and inherited disorders such as phenylketonuria are results of a faulty metabolism. Learning how human metabolism works helps us know how we can increase metabolism to lose weight and to promote the overall health of our body. So, while you are busy reading this article, remember that there are thousands of chemical reactions that are taking place right now in the cells of your body to keep you alive and healthy.