Metabolism

Our metabolism is the set of physical and chemical processes that go on continuously inside our bodies to keep us alive and functioning.

In metabolism, some substances are broken down to give energy and heat: this process is called catabolism. This energy is needed to support other processes; for example, to contract muscles and help us move, to circulate our blood, or to control our body temperature. This energy is generally provided by the breakdown of our food. A complementary part of metabolism, called anabolism, is where other substances that we need are made by the body, like proteins for growth or tissue repair. This process requires energy.

The speed at which the metabolic processes are carried out is called the metabolic rate. Our basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy we expend in our resting state. We can increase our overall rate of metabolism by increasing our physical activity. Being active and building our muscles can also help to increase our BMR, as the amount of muscle we have contributes to our BMR.