Metabolism: what affects it, and can you change it?

If you have ever thought about weight loss, you have probably heard about such a concept as “metabolism.” You could hear a fitness trainer or fitness enthusiast saying you need to accelerate your metabolism to lose weight.

What does metabolism mean in biology, and how does this process affect our body? What factors affect your metabolism, and can they speed up weight loss? How to wisely use metabolism knowledge to improve the figure and get healthier? Our article will tell you about it.

How does metabolism work?

What is metabolism? Scientifically, metabolism is a range of chemical reactions helping convert food into the energy necessary to ensure the vital functions of all body organs and systems. In other words, metabolism is a mechanism that turns the proteins, fats, and carbs we consume into kilojoules of energy used to build and repair our body.

How does it work? Suppose you eat a big steak with vegetable salad. Your work is done once you’ve swallowed them, and your digestive system takes over. Using special enzymes, it breaks down food into substances the body can use as energy: amino acids, fatty acids, and simple sugars.

These substances are then absorbed into the bloodstream and get into different cells of the body, where they help solve various problems. During this process, energy is released, which can be used immediately or stored in the body as fat. So, you can divide metabolism into two phases: catabolism and anabolism.

Catabolism is the process of transforming food into simple compounds, which are then converted to release energy.
Anabolism is the process of using energy to maintain normal body functions, growth, and recovery.

What controls metabolism?

What affects metabolism? The endocrine system is one of the most critical factors determining metabolism’s characteristics. The system includes the thyroid, pancreas, adrenal glands, and hypothalamus.

The thyroid gland regulates the rate of metabolism using the special hormone thyroxine. If this hormone is not enough, the metabolism slows down, while an excess of thyroxine can lead to increased metabolism. Check your thyroid gland if you can’t get slim and gain weight just by looking at a cake.
The pancreas determines the prevailing type of metabolism in your body. By releasing insulin, this organ “switches” the body to anabolism when cells start consuming energy. If the pancreas stops releasing insulin, the body is switched to catabolism.
The adrenal glands are responsible for releasing the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. The first can cause high blood sugar levels, affecting insulin production by the pancreas, and regulates the body’s use of nutrients.
The hypothalamus plays a critical role in normalizing energy metabolism by controlling food consumption and energy storage and release.

The endocrine system disorders will adversely affect the metabolism, and without appropriate treatment, it will not be possible to eliminate the problem.

Endocrine system diseases can be both congenital and acquired, and an unhealthy lifestyle often causes the latter. Lack of exercise and unhealthy food can lead to endocrine problems such as obesity and diabetes, adversely affecting metabolism. Constant stress and other factors also affect the endocrine system.

What is the basal metabolic rate (BMR)?

The metabolism meaning is based on the basal metabolic rate (BMR), determining the amount of energy the body needs to maintain its vital functions at rest. What body functions does the energy maintain? These include:

Respiration;
Heartbeat;
Blood circulation;
Maintaining the required hormone levels;
Cell repair and growth.

Typically, BMR accounts for 50 to 80% of all energy used by the body. The higher your basal metabolic rate, the more energy you spend at rest, and vice versa. Low BMR can lead to weight gain if you eat more food or reduce your level of exercise.

Generally, the average woman’s BMR is 5900 kJ per day, and the daily BMR of the average man is 7100 kJ. You can use special formulas to calculate this indicator.

For women:

BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 x weight (kg)) + (3.098 x height (cm)) – (4.330 x age (years))

For men:

BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 x weight (kg)) + (4.799 x height (cm)) – (5.677 x age (years))

Knowing BMR makes it possible to determine the allowable daily caloric intake based on exercise, which requires additional energy costs. What factors can affect the basal metabolic rate?

Genes. Everyone gets a set of genes from their parents and, along with them, the characteristics of metabolism. For example, you can have a predisposition to excess weight, which is often the case among members of the same family.
Body. People with larger muscle mass have a higher BMR. This means you can increase this indicator if you change your body muscle mass.
Health problems. Some diseases can also affect the basal metabolic rate. In particular, these are endocrine disorders.

What affects our metabolism?

Although, to a certain extent, our metabolism is “programmed” and depends on the basal metabolic rate, the following factors can affect it:

Age. The age-related slowdown in metabolism is mainly due to decreased muscle mass. So far, experts have no consensus on why this is happening. Some believe this is a natural process. Others believe it is due to a lower level of exercise. In any case, to slow down the loss of muscle mass, you should be more physically active and do weight training.
Exercise. Reduced exercise leads to decreased muscle mass and increased body fat. At the same time, muscles consume more energy than fat and help speed up metabolism.
Diet. A healthy diet provides the body with all the required vitamins and minerals and optimizes daily caloric intake. If you consume more calories than you need, they are stored as fat, leading to a slower metabolism.
Sleep. Lack of sleep disrupts metabolism, adversely affecting the endocrine system and leading to fat and carb metabolism failures. An adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep daily for the body to function normally. It is also recommended to go to bed by 23:00.
Stress. Stress has a multi-factorial effect on metabolism. First, it affects the endocrine system and the mental state, leading to overeating and other bad habits. All these factors lead to metabolic disorders and dangerous diseases.

Relevant article

Conclusion

Metabolism is a complex process including many chemical reactions that ensure the body’s normal functioning. Mostly, metabolism specifics are determined by innate genetic characteristics or health disorders. If you have endocrine disorders, it is impossible to achieve improvement without consulting a doctor. Sometimes it’s enough to solve a health problem to see metabolism improvement. Our habits and lifestyle can also affect our metabolism. A healthy lifestyle, good nutrition, and appropriate sleep are often enough to stay vigorous and full of energy for many years.