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The vast majority of people take the incredible functioning of their own bodies for granted. This is slightly understandable, however, since most of the processes that keep us alive are largely out of our own control. Most of the systems, behaviors and reactions that occur in the body do so without our conscious thought or control, aside from remembering to eat food, drink water, sleep regularly and avoid dangerous or extreme conditions. So, what is this mysterious, silent force that guides us from morning till night and birth to death, doing its very best to ensure that we survive and thrive? Quite simply – our metabolism. This word is thrown around a great deal, particularly in relation to weight loss issues, fat-burning, and our annoying friend who complains: “No matter how much I eat, I can’t seem to gain any weight. My metabolism is just super fast!” The word metabolism has a great deal more significance than that, however, and it’s something that everyone should understand a bit better? Recommended Video for you: Rancidity: Why Do Foods Turn Rancid? If you wish to buy/license this video, please write to us at . Metabolism is the collective noun for the thousands of chemical reactions that occur in our body every single day of our lives, primarily those that relate to energy conversion, which is essential to survival and bodily functions. This set of processes serves three main purposes within the body – to break down the food we consume into usable energy for cellular function, to convert broken down food into usable molecules, such as lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids, and to eliminate certain waste products from the body. While those may seem like relatively simple objectives to achieve, the vital processes of the metabolism are what keep us alive; without usable energy converted from the food we eat, our bodies would shut down. In other words, metabolism is the user manual for our body’s engine, which makes it very important indeed. At the most basic level, metabolism can be divided into two main divisions, catabolism and anabolism, which we will explain in greater detail below. What is Catabolism?Simply put, catabolism, also known as destructive metabolism, is the collection of processes that break down the food and liquid molecules that we consume into usable forms of energy. The food we eat is in the form of vegetables, fruits, grains, animal proteins etc., but our body cannot use food in that form. Catabolic processes break down biomolecules into smaller units, which can then be oxidized, or they can be used in anabolic processes (creative metabolism) to create new larger molecules. You probably already know the major catabolic process in the body – digestion! When larger molecules are broken down into smaller ones, energy is released that can be used by an organism. Some of the major catabolic processes in the body are the breakdown of polysaccharides (glycogen, starch etc.) into monosaccharides (fructose, glucose etc.), the breakdown of proteins into nucleic acids, and the breakdown of nucleic acids into nucleotides. Catabolic processes are often associated with certain triggering hormones, including adrenaline, glucagon, cytokines and cortisol. As with anything that occurs in the body, catabolic processes must be regulated and controlled, which is why these hormones are so crucial. These hormones will affect everything from your heart rate and oxygen absorption levels to your blood glucose concentration and the efficacy of communication between your cells. When these hormones are activated, released or triggered, they will stimulate the necessary breakdown of available nutrients to produce energy for the body to function. For example, when you are faced with a dangerous situation, the body goes into fight-or-flight mode, at which point adrenaline is released, which speeds up your heart rate, increases your lung’s capacity for oxygen intake, and stimulates the breakdown of glycogen into glucose, the basic energy unit that the body can use to either fight or flee. What is Anabolism?As with so many things in nature, there is a natural balance to the metabolism. While catabolic pathways are considered destructive forms of metabolism, anabolic pathways are constructive forms. Another word for anabolism is biosynthesis, because these processes synthesize small molecules into larger and more complex compounds that the body requires. On the large scale, you can see the results of anabolism in a growing child, a healing wound, or a swelling muscle. On the microscopic scale, anabolic processes in cells include amino acids (monomers) building into proteins (polymers). As is the case of catabolism, anabolism is also controlled or regulated by hormones, primarily the human growth hormone, insulin, testosterone and estrogen, among others. Anabolic processes are largely fueled by catabolic processes, as the body requires energy and the raw materials before it can do work and create more complex molecules. Now that you understand some of the intricacies of metabolism – namely the breakdown and formation of different molecules necessary for life – we should address one of the most common subjects related to the metabolism, the “speed” at which it operates. Metabolism and Weight ManagementWhen people struggle to maintain their size, or lose a certain amount of weight, the metabolism is often pointed to as the culprit. You have probably heard many people claim that they have either a slow or a fast metabolism, which therefore affects their body size. However, these types of claims are not backed by science, which has shown that most people’s metabolic rates are actually quite similar. There are some conditions, such as thyroid disorders, that will slow or speed the metabolism and impact body size, but these are relatively rare. The factors that do affect your metabolism include your body composition, your age and your sex. Those who have more muscle mass will naturally burn more calories, even when they’re not exercising. Men tend to have more muscle mass than women, making it easier to shave off calories and weight. Finally, as we age, our level of physical activity often drops, as does muscle mass, which makes it more difficult to lose weight. When you add energy into the body (by eating food), if the body doesn’t need to use it all, it will be stored as fat. When the body requires this energy, those stores can be broken down and used (catabolism), resulting in weight loss. The balance of what you consume and what physical activity you perform will determine your success or failure when it comes to managing your weight. That being said, the types of exercises you are performing can have an effect on your weight. Catabolic exercises are those that break down fat and burn calories, such as running, aerobics, swimming, biking etc. Anabolic exercises are those that are geared towards increasing muscle mass, such as weight-lifting, resistance training, or any other intense, concentrated form of working out. A Final WordThe human metabolism may seem complex, but understanding the anabolic and catabolic aspects will help guide your lifestyle decisions. When you are choosing which foods to put into your body, consider their nutritional value, and don’t overeat if you are trying to slim down! Furthermore, when exercising, choose wisely between catabolic and anabolic exercises, depending on what your individual health goals are! Suggested ReadingWas this article helpful?
Metabolism is a biochemical process that allows an organism to live, grow, reproduce, heal, and adapt to its environment. Anabolism and catabolism are two metabolic processes, or phases. Anabolism refers to the process which builds molecules the body needs; it usually requires energy for completion. Catabolism refers to the process that breaks down complex molecules into smaller molecules; it usually releases energy for the organism to use.
Anabolic processes use simple molecules within the organism to create more complex and specialized compounds. This synthesis, the creation of a product from a series of components, is why anabolism is also called "biosynthesis." The process uses energy to create its end products, which the organism can use to sustain itself, grow, heal, reproduce or adjust to changes in its environment. Growing in height and muscle mass are two basic anabolic processes. At the cellular level, anabolic processes can use small molecules called monomers to build polymers, resulting in often highly complex molecules. For example, amino acids (monomers) can be synthesized into proteins (polymers), much like a builder can use bricks to create a large variety of buildings. Catabolic processes break down complex compounds and molecules to release energy. This creates the metabolic cycle, where anabolism then creates other molecules that catabolism breaks down, many of which remain in the organism to be used again. The principal catabolic process is digestion, where nutrient substances are ingested and broken down into simpler components for the body to use. In cells, catabolic processes break down polysaccharides such as starch, glycogen, and cellulose into monosaccharides (glucose, ribose and fructose, for example) for energy. Proteins are broken down into amino acids, for use in anabolic synthesis of new compounds or for recycling. And nucleic acids, found in RNA and DNA, are catabolized into nucleotides as part of the body's energy needs or for the purpose of healing. HormonesMany of the metabolic processes in an organism are regulated by chemical compounds called hormones. In general, hormones can be classified as anabolic or catabolic based on their effect within the organism. Anabolic hormones include:
Catabolic hormones include:
How Metabolism Affects Body Weight A person's body weight will be the end result of catabolism minus anabolism: in essence, how much energy is released into the body, minus how much energy is used by the body. Excess energy added to the body is stored as fat or as glycogen stored in the liver and in muscles. If a person's goal is to lose weight, the basic method is to increase energy use while reducing energy intake, preferably under medical supervision. Most people point to metabolism as the reason for being overweight or underweight, but metabolic processes vary little from person to person. The belief that some people enjoy a "high" or "fast" metabolism while others suffer from a "slow" or "low" metabolism is not supported by science. [1] What does differ to a significant degree is the amount of physical activity and the quality/quantity of food ingested by people with so-called "fast" and "slow" metabolisms. The people who are overweight simply have a metabolic (energy) imbalance wherein their body takes in more energy than they use on a regular basis, with the excess stored as fat. There are metabolic disorders than can affect body weight, such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism is the condition where the thyroid reduces its hormonal output, lowering the body's level of energy use. People with hypothyroidism tend to gain weight unless they follow a very strict regimen of diet and exercise. The opposite occurs with hyperthyroidism, a disorder in which the thyroid's hormonal output increases drastically and the body's energy use becomes excessive. As changing the base metabolic rate is nearly impossible for those with metabolic disorders, the best option to reach ideal body weight is long-term changes in diet and exercise levels. The anabolic process of building muscle mass through exercise, dancing, yoga, gardening or other physical activity eventually leads to leaner body mass (less fat) and a higher need for energy (catabolism) to feed the muscle cells. The nutritional quality of food is also a key factor, avoiding "empty" calories, mainly excess fat and sugars, that the body cannot use and ends up storing. Catabolism breaks everything down, regardless of its nutritional value. For anabolic processes to work at optimum levels, the body must have the proper nutrients. Eating healthier foods helps the body build itself in healthier ways. Anabolic and Catabolic ExercisesAnabolic exercises are generally those that build muscle mass, such as weight lifting and isometrics (resistance). However, any anaerobic (non-oxygen using) exercise is basically anabolic. Anaerobic exercises include sprinting, jumping rope, interval training or any activity done at high intensity for brief periods of time. With these activities, the body is forced to use its immediate reserves of energy and then remove the lactic acid build-up in muscles. To prepare for another effort, the body increases muscle mass, strengthens bones and uses amino acids to increase protein reserves. Some of the amino acids will come from fat stored in the body. Catabolic exercises are largely aerobic, meaning they consume oxygen, and help burn calories and fat. The use of oxygen is a key factor in catabolism, as oxygen is a reducing agent in many chemical processes. Typical catabolic/aerobic exercises are jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing or any physical activity done for at least 20 minutes at moderate intensity. Time is a major factor in getting results because after about 15-20 minutes, the body switches from using glucose and glycogen to using fat to sustain the energy requirements of the body. For that catabolic process, oxygen is required. By combining aerobic and anaerobic exercises on a consistent basis, a person can use anabolic and catabolic processes to reach or maintain an ideal body weight as well as improve and sustain overall health. Catabolic FoodsThe idea that some foods can foster catabolism and thus induce weight loss is not supported by science. In biological terms, digestion is meant to extract nutrition and energy from food; if the process induced catabolism, the living organism would suffer damage from acquiring less resources than it invested to gain them. In terms of physics, a catabolic food would cost more energy to process than what it would provide the organism, leading to energy loss that ends in death. No digestive process could have a net energy loss and keep an organism alive. There are, however, some foods where the caloric expenditure to process them is a little higher than the calories they provide the system. The clear example is water, especially ice-cold water. The body needs to warm it up before absorbing it, leading to a small caloric debt. Foods with very high water content, such as celery, also have this tiny catabolic effect. But the nutritional value of water and celery are not high enough to properly sustain an organism, so relying solely on these foods to lose weight can lead to serious health complications. References
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What is metabolism and what is the relationship between anabolism and catabolism?
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