In this article we will touch on the topic of metabolism. In particular, attention will be paid to the metabolism of accelerated, slow and standard types. We will also learn about ways to slow down or speed up metabolism, define the general meaning of the term and touch on concepts closely related to it.
Introduction
Metabolism (metabolism) is a set of chemical reactions that occur in the organisms of living beings. It is necessary for the constant maintenance of life on the planet. The set of all processes included in the metabolism allows the body to grow, develop and create offspring, as well as maintain a personal structure and show responses to environmental stimuli.
Metabolism will combine the catabolic and anabolic stages. Catabolism is necessary for the degradation of complex organic substances into simple forms with the concomitant release of energy. During anabolism, the reverse process occurs: relatively simple substances are converted intocomplex and use up energy.
The body's metabolism consists of many chemical reactions, which are called metabolic pathways. During the process of metabolism, under the influence of enzymes, some significant biological molecules are transformed into others.
Enzymatic functions
Enzymes are essential for metabolic processes because:
- They are active biological catalysts and reduce the energy consumption to activate a chemical reaction.
- Give the ability to regulate any metabolic pathway in response to every change in the cellular environment.
Metabolism determines the set of substances necessary for our life, growth, etc. The main set of metabolic pathways is common to most living organisms inhabiting the planet, which indicates the common origin of all creatures inhabiting the Earth. An example is a set of some carboxylic acids that are intermediates in the tricarboxylic acid cycle; they are part of all organisms, from bacteria to multicellular eukaryotic animals.
The concept of catabolism
A feature of metabolism is the structure of its constituent components: anabolism and catabolism.
Catabolism refers to a number of metabolic processes leading to the breakdown of relatively large organic molecules such as sugars, fats, amino acids. During catabolism, there isthe formation of simpler molecules of an organic nature, which in the future will be used up for the implementation of anabolic reactions (biosynthesis). This stage of metabolism allows the formation of ATP compounds available for use, reduced coenzymes and molecules with a transmembrane electrochemical. potential.
Catabolism is not an essential element of metabolism, as it may be absent in many organisms. All metabolic reactions are based on an oxidative and reduction type reaction, during which electrons are transferred between donor molecules (for example, water or ammonia) and acceptors (for example, O2, nitrate compounds and sulfates).
Animals break down into carbon dioxide and water. Photosynthetic plants and cyanobacteria use the phenomenon of electron transfer to store energy resources acquired in the process of absorbing sunlight rays.
In animals, catabolic reactions form three main stages: 1 - the breakdown of large organic molecules (proteins, lipids, polysaccharides, etc.) to extracellular components, 2 - the penetration of a molecule into the thickness of the cell and its transformation into a smaller compound (an example can be acetyl-CoA), 3 - group of acetyl A-coenzymes is oxidized to the formation of molecules H2O and CO2 (a consequence of the Krebs cycle and respiratory chain).
The concept of anabolism
Metabolic functions are determined not only by catabolism, but also by anabolism.
Anabolism is the generality of processes during which biosynthesis of the most complex molecules occurs. It also consumes the body's energy resources. Anabolism consists of 3 successive stages catalyzed by specialized enzymes.
The first step is the synthesis of precursor molecules, such as amino acids, nucleotides, terpenoids and simple carbohydrates. Upon completion of the 2nd stage, these molecules take an activated form due to the action of ATP energy. Thanks to the 3rd stage, monomers are combined into substances such as lipids, nucleic acids, proteins and polysaccharide compounds.
Different kingdoms of living beings have differences in their ability to synthesize biologically active molecules. For example, autotrophs are able to create complexly organized organic molecules from the simplest low-molecular compounds of an inorganic nature. Such a process is not available to heterotrophs, and therefore they need the presence of at least monosaccharides or amino acids. Only from them will our bodies be able to create more complex molecular compounds.
Methods of regulation of metabolism
Metabolism in the body determines the constancy of homeostasis. There are many ways in which our body controls and regulates metabolism. However, all of them are laid down in us genetically, and therefore our consciousness is beyond our control without the use of additional means. Enzymes, for example, are responsible for increasing or decreasingmetabolic activity through the transmission of special signals and causing the conditions necessary for a quick reaction. A person is able to independently influence the metabolic processes to some extent and slow down / accelerate them if desired. There are many ways to do this, including drugs or proper diets.
One of the levels of metabolic control is represented by the activity of hormones, which are referred to as an external type of regulation. Growth factor and/or hormones transmit specific signals that are perceived by receptors located on the cell surface. Further, the signal is translated into the cell structure through a system of second messengers, most often associated with the phenomenon of protein phosphorylation.
An example is the action of insulin, which is released when the amount of glucose in the blood column rises. The hormone forms a bond with its receptors and activates protein kinase, which ensures the absorption of a simple carbohydrate by the cell, followed by its transformation into fatty acid and glycogen.
About accelerated metabolism
A boosted metabolism - good or bad?
In general, there is no particular harm from this phenomenon, however, this may depend and be determined by the subjective goals of the individual. For example, for weight gain, a fast metabolism will serve as an obstacle, but for an overweight person, it will become one of the ways to eliminate body fat and prevent new ones from accumulating. In any case, the peculiarities of metabolism are laid genetically within each organism, and therefore it is impossible to change it directly. This is the basic process that ensures our life and growth. It takes place inside every living being even at the moment of sleep.
Sometimes an accelerated metabolism becomes a problem of excessive lack of weight in an adult or children's body. Through it, our bodies receive energy resources. The difficulty of gaining weight is determined by many factors, such as your gender, age, height and body structure, its volume, as well as your lifestyle and habits. In sports, a fast metabolism is often a problem that makes it difficult for a person to gain extra weight.
Helpful Tips Part 1
There are drugs that speed up metabolism, diets, activities, foods, etc.
To slow down your metabolism, you need to stop using caffeine, as it is a stimulant that can increase the rate of metabolic reactions by 4-5%. Fat-free or low-fat milk products will allow the body to reduce the amount of fat that is absorbed from other foods.
How can I slow down an accelerated metabolism?
Here it will be important to mention one of the worst enemies of man - alcohol. Such a bad habit as drinking alcohol can have a beneficial effect on slowing down the metabolism and allow a person to put on weight. However, remember that alcoholic beverages are one of the greatest killers of modern times, claiming the lives of more people than plague and war could take.
Refined carbohydrates with little fiber (such as sugar or white flour) can boost your metabolism by 15-30%. Proteins, in turn, are absorbed by the body rather difficult, and therefore, to speed up metabolic processes, a slowdown can be observed with excessive protein intake.
Helpful Tips Part 2
If you have a question about how to gain weight with an accelerated metabolism, then it will be important to know that in order to gain a few kilograms, it is recommended to replace frequent meals with 3 or 4 meals a day. The fact is that for the splitting of each new portion of food, it is required to spend a lot of additional energy expenditure on reactions that are very energy-consuming at the initial stages of oxidation. There should be few meals, but they must be very dense, which will also have a positive effect on slowing down the metabolism and will make it possible to gain a couple of extra pounds.
Exercising the body at a low intensity pace, for short periods of time, is another way to gain extra weight. For example, when exercising in the gym, if the subject is an ectomorph (somatotype with a fast metabolism), it is recommended that they do an extremely compressed workout with a minimum number of exercises and repetitions.
For example, if we are talking about the gym, on the day of the load on certain muscle groups (chest, shoulders, triceps), it will be enough to perform a high-quality warm-up, bench press with 5-6 working sets and a weight that allows you to perform up to 5-6 repetitions, as well as add a bench press andFrench bench press with a similar rep range. A fast metabolism makes it harder to gain weight. However, with the right approach to the regimen, diet, etc., it can become a useful quality of body physiology.
"Catalyst" of metabolism
Among the products that speed up the metabolism are:
- Fruits with a low glycemic index. For example, peach, guava, orange, watermelon, etc.
- Green leaf tea contains EGCG, a nervous system stimulant that speeds up metabolic activity.
- Speed up your metabolism with melon, spinach (includes B vitamins) and lemon (antioxidant and digestive system catalyst).
- Another product that speeds up the metabolism is oatmeal - the best breakfast for every person. It is rich in fiber and lowers the concentration of cholesterol in the blood.
- Low-fat (lean) meat speeds up metabolism.
- Beans contain substances that help burn fat, and at the same time they are high in proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
There are many other foods that can boost your metabolism, including ginger, asparagus, cucumbers, water, colored vegetables, spices, etc. The first symptom of a fast metabolism is difficulty gaining weight.
About drugs
There are other, more serious ways to interfere with the natural course of metabolism. For example, industrypharmaceutics provides us with drugs that speed up the metabolism. For people who are overweight, they can help to lose a considerable amount of kilograms. However, it is important to remember that taking such drugs is recommended to be done under the supervision of a nutritionist, a doctor, or with an extremely careful and careful attitude to their use.
Drugs such as "Reduxin" and "Goldline" affect the center of the brain responsible for saturation. They help speed up a number of metabolic processes, burn fat and lengthen the time of satiety hormone presence.
"Orsoten" and "Xenical" have a blocking effect on the digestive enzyme - lipase, which is responsible for the process of absorption of fats. Also good drugs are bioactive supplements, for example, MCC or Turboslim, which have a diuretic effect, thin the blood and cleanse the intestines with the liver.
Speed up metabolism and a whole improvement in metabolic reactions can be achieved by using a variety of hormonal substances. Here it will be important to mention the tablets "L-thyroxine" (increasingly affects the activity of the thyroid gland), "Danabol" and "Anivar" (drugs with a large amount of male hormones). Any drug associated with the activity of hormones should be taken with extreme caution, as improper use can lead to serious he alth problems, even irreparable consequences.
"Lecithin" is one of the most popular and safe substances that have a beneficial effecton metabolism.
