Metabolism: Our Energy System's Science
Metabolic reactions maintain life. It involves many organs and hormones to transform food into energy. In this post, we will study metabolism and its effects on health. Metabolism 101 Metabolism turns food into energy. It involves the liver, pancreas, and hormones. This energy powers respiration, movement, and body temperature. Fat cells store energy for later use. Our metabolic rate is how fast we transform food into energy. Age, sex, weight, and genetics affect it. A high metabolic rate burns more calories at rest than a low one. Three Metabolism Components BMR, TEF, and physical activity comprise metabolism. BMR is the number of calories the body burns at rest to sustain respiration, circulation, and temperature. This burns 60–70% of daily calories. The body requires TEF to digest, absorb, and transport food nutrients. This burns 10–15% of our daily calories. Physical exercise, such as walking, jogging, and weightlifting, uses energy. This burns 15–30% of our daily calories. Metabol...