Metabolism is a complex body process that entails three things: basic needs, food digestion and physical activity. Metabolism essenrtially fulfills the basic needs of the body for survival. This necessitates the basal metabolic rate which involves the calories needed by the body process for life such as breathing, organ fuel, blood circulation and repair or growth of cells and tissues.
Digestion involves the absorption of nutrients needed by the body to survive. It needs calories to burn calories. Finally, physical activity has something to do with metabolism. The more a person exercises, the more calories are burned.
Actually, metabolism is controlled by enzymes in the endocrine system. Thyroxine released by the Thyroid gland regulates how fast or slow a metabolism of a person is. Also, pancreatic enzymes will determine if the metabolic process of the body is anabolic or catabolic.
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) can be affected by numerous factors. One factor is that affects the rate of metabolism of people. As one grows older, their metabolism slows down making gaining weight easy and losing weight hard when a person reaches 30 years old and above.
As a matter of fact, a person loses two to three percent of their BMR when they step at 30 years and above. Body size and configuration affects metabolism rates for example, someone with a larger body mass needs more calories than someone with a smaller body mass.
Also, gender is a factor for men burns calories more than women. That is why women eat less but can gain more fats than men. Furthermore, men have more muscle mass than women.
Metabolism starts from digestion because as soon as food reaches the mouth, digestion starts to happen. After breaking down of food, cells utilize these simple components as building blocks for most body parts and also for their own energy.
Therefore, metabolism is an important part of life. It is needed to survive. There are however, means to boost metabolism. One of the most effective, is exercise.