Nutrients are essential in defining and asking the vital question: What is metabolism? Human metabolism is a complex process that provides the body with the energy necessary for all bodily functions – physical, physiological, and psychological. This complex process combines calories and oxygen to create and release energy and fuels the body even when the body is resting.
Many discuss developing and maintaining a fast metabolism to achieve maximum health and wellness. Nutrient Metabolism focuses on the presentation of nutritional biochemistry. It defines the molecular fate of nutrients and other dietary compounds in humans and outlines the molecular basis of processes supporting nutrition, such as chemical sensing and appetite control.
What is metabolism? How can we achieve a fast metabolism by understanding the nutrients in our foods?
Many people associate metabolism with weight loss/gain or proper weight management aimed to achieve overall health and wellness. To fully understand how metabolism affects weight management, one must first understand the metabolic processes and how hormones affect these functions. For fast metabolism, there are two main metabolic pathways. The pathway either synthesizes molecules with the utilization of energy (anabolic pathway) or breaks down complex molecules and releases energy (catabolic pathway). Both are important to achieve a fast metabolism.
We all know that people’s metabolism naturally slows down as they age. A faster metabolism burns calories faster, making it less likely that a person will gain weight. A daily supplement of specific vitamins and minerals may help keep the metabolism working effectively to maintain overall health and wellness. While supplements can help deliver much-needed nutrients, eating whole foods consistently are the best source of vitamins and minerals.
The five best vitamins and minerals for maintaining and boosting body functions, including metabolism and supporting reasonable weight control, are B vitamins, vitamin D, calcium, iron, and magnesium.
The B vitamins play essential roles in energy metabolism in the body. B vitamins enhance the body’s ability to process fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. A deficiency in B vitamins can affect other B vitamins, disrupting a person’s metabolism. Each person is advised to regularly eat food containing B vitamins to meet daily needs for a fast metabolism.
Besides its role in calcium homeostasis and energy metabolism, vitamin D is also involved in regulating the development and process of metabolic disorders. Vitamin D can help with weight loss by altering fat cells’ storage and formation and increasing serotonin and testosterone levels. Moreover, vitamin D controls energy metabolism in adipose tissue by affecting fatty acid oxidation, expression of uncoupling proteins, insulin resistance, and adipokine production.
Calcium is essential for many metabolic processes, including nerve function, muscle contraction, and blood clotting. The parathyroid hormone regulates calcium levels in the blood, mainly by increasing them when they are too low. It does this through its actions on the kidneys, bones, and intestine: Bones – parathyroid hormone stimulates calcium release from large calcium stores in the bones into the bloodstream. Iron metabolism is a set of chemical reactions that maintain the human homeostasis of iron at the systemic and cellular levels.
Magnesium is one of the most critical nutrients for metabolism. Magnesium is essential for synthesizing nucleic acids and proteins. Over 300 enzymes are dependent on magnesium. Magnesium is an important mineral your body needs to function properly, including metabolism. It helps you do various important things, including producing energy, regulating blood sugar, and causing the important and necessary chemical reactions in the body. Additionally, magnesium helps the body’s nerve impulses, muscle contraction, and heart rhythm by playing a role in the transport of calcium and potassium.
To understand the question, “what is metabolism,” the study of nutrients is a key first step.
