{"id":7007,"date":"2021-10-20T03:10:33","date_gmt":"2021-10-19T19:10:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/the-impacts-of-stress-on-hormones-2\/"},"modified":"2025-04-14T11:58:05","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T03:58:05","slug":"demystifying-the-metabolic-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeclinic.com.hk\/demystifying-the-metabolic-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Demystifying the Metabolic System"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A slow metabolism is sometimes blamed for a wide range of complaints \u2013 weight gain, fatigue, dull skin and more. But what really is \u201cmetabolism\u201d, how is it measured, and how can we optimize it?<\/p>\n

Your body is an incredible machine that is able to take the energy from the food we eat, and transform it into energy our cells can use. Simply put, the combined reactions that make up this process is our metabolic system, also termed metabolism. Our metabolism is not<\/em> just how fast or how slow we burn calories (aka our metabolic rate).<\/p>\n

At a high level, we can break our metabolic system into two overriding categories: the breakdown of energy and nutrients (catabolism), and the building of tissues and energy stores (anabolism). The breakdown of food during digestion would be a catabolic reaction, while the storage of fuel in the form of fat would be an anabolic reaction. Our body is in a constant flux between these states depending on a wide range of factors like our nutrient status, the time of day, what we\u2019re doing at the moment, hormone balance etc.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

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There are thousands of reactions involved in our metabolism; from breaking down the energy from food to converting that energy to fuel for our cells, and finally, clearing out waste products. Three of the most important pathways for energy production are glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain. Together, these pathways take glucose from our food to create energy in the form of ATP molecules. These small but mighty molecules of ATP then go on to power virtually everything we do: from making new cells to tissue repair to brainpower to movement!<\/p>\n

Having a strong metabolic system, or what scientists call ‘metabolic integrity’, is truly at the foundation of feeling, looking, and performing our best. When metabolic integrity is seriously and\/or chronically compromised, metabolic syndrome can occur with the telltale symptoms of increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. But aside from clinical conditions, what are indicators that our metabolism is working optimally?<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

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