Metabolism. The influence of metabolism on weight loss.

What is metabolism

Chemical reactions constantly occur in cells. Under the action of enzymes, some compounds supplied with food are broken down, while others are formed. This is the basis of the life of any organism. The combination of these reactions is called metabolism or metabolism.

The process consists of two stages:

• Catabolism (dissimilation) - complex molecules break down into simpler ones with the release of energy.
• Anabolism (plastic metabolism) - breakdown products formed at the previous stage are combined into new complex molecules.

Thus, under the influence of the hormone insulin, glucose breaks down into two molecules of lactate (lactic acid), carbon dioxide and water. This catabolic process is called glycolysis. If there is not enough glucose in the body (due to hunger), glucose can be restored. This is already an anabolic process - gluconeogenesis.

What is basal exchange

This is the rate of conversion of food into energy necessary to maintain minimal life activity. It shows how many calories the body needs to stay healthy at an air temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and in the absence of physical activity.

This indicator is determined based on:

• age;
• growth;
• weight;
• floor.

There are many methods for calculating it. The most popular formula is Harris and Benedict: 66.5 + (13.75 x weight in kg) + (5 x height in cm) - (6.75 x age in years) for men and 66.5 + (9.55 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years) for women.

Basal metabolism accounts for up to 75% of calories consumed. Another 10% is burned directly during the digestion process. The rest goes away during physical activity.

Why does metabolism slow down?

The faster the metabolism occurs in the human body, the faster the microelements supplied with food are processed. If it slows down, the organs do not receive energy on time. And fats, instead of being burned, are stored in the form of extra pounds. This happens for various reasons:

• age-related changes (metabolism slows down over the years);
• hereditary predisposition;
• endocrine pathologies (unsatisfactory condition of the thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands);
• unhealthy diet (complete refusal of carbohydrates, protein deficiency);
• prolonged fasting;
• lack of fluid;
• deficiency of vitamin D, iron, calcium;
• stress;
• intoxication (including alcohol).

Nothing can be done about the first two factors. You can speed up your metabolism by influencing everything else. A healthy lifestyle is the key to normal metabolism. If you manage to fix it, everything will be fine with your figure.

What is metabolism?

Metabolism is a complex of biochemical reactions as a result of which food entering the body is converted into energy. Proteins, lipids, amino acids, coenzymes, isoprenoids, glycones, carbohydrates, nucleotides, and fatty acids are involved in this process.

At a normal rate of metabolic processes, substances from food are not deposited in the form of fat reserves, but are completely spent on maintaining human life. A slowdown in metabolism leads not only to excess weight, but also to digestive and hormonal imbalances, increased fatigue and exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Metabolic speed is not always related to health status. This process is influenced by factors that cannot be controlled, such as genetic predisposition and age. For this reason, some people exceed their daily calorie intake every day, but do not gain excess weight, while others eat little and still gain weight.

The causes of slow metabolism that a person can influence include the following:

1. Sedentary lifestyle. Physical inactivity leads to a slower metabolism, as the body consumes less energy than it receives, and excess calories are stored as fat.
2. Errors in diet. A lack of vitamins and minerals causes inhibition of metabolic processes, and abuse of sugar and fats leads to sharp changes in the concentration of insulin in the blood.
3. Endocrine pathologies. Diseases of the endocrine glands lead to hormonal changes and obesity. For such diseases, self-medication is contraindicated; an endocrinologist should select medications.
4. Stress and overwork. These factors weaken the body and nervous system. In this case, it is necessary to adjust the work and rest schedule, take sedatives, and avoid lack of sleep.
5. Dehydration. This condition can be the result of both poisoning and insufficient water consumption or abuse of alcohol and caffeine.

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Is accelerating your metabolism harmful?

We found that slowing down chemical reactions leads to cells not receiving nutrition in a timely manner. Because of this, dysfunctions of various body systems begin. Therefore, slow metabolism needs to be accelerated. But this also cannot be done indefinitely.

Deviation from the norm in any direction is not useful. People also suffer from too fast metabolism. They may have reduced body weight, even emaciation. In addition, the speed of metabolic processes affects life expectancy.

If they occur too quickly, cell division also accelerates. Their resource is not unlimited. The faster they complete the division cycle, the faster a person ages. Accordingly, life expectancy is reduced. Therefore, you cannot overdo it in accelerating metabolic processes.

Drugs that have a side effect of slowing metabolism

The list of pills to slow down metabolism includes:

• Drugs that reduce stomach acidity. This is a category of antiulcer drugs, due to the decrease in acidity - metabolic processes, in particular breakdown, proceed more slowly.
• Preparations containing large amounts of estrogenic stimulants. Ordinary female hormones that can be purchased without a prescription at any pharmacy. An excess of estrogen will cause the body to begin storing energy in case of unexpected hunger strikes and pregnancy.

Fun fact: This will happen regardless of whether you are a man or a woman. An excess of estrogen will in any case lead to weight gain, since the body, with such a change in hormonal levels, will not understand its causes.

• Drugs that affect insulin secretion in the body.

Methods to speed up metabolism

When people want to lose weight, they do not always think that they need to normalize their metabolism. Exhausting yourself with physical exercise, but at the same time eating incorrectly, will not achieve the desired goal. A strict diet can even lead to the opposite effect. In starvation conditions, the body will begin to rapidly store nutrients, and the weight will only increase.

So metabolism needs to be dealt with first. Most methods are available at home:

• normalize diet;
• reduce sugar and salt intake;
• lead a moderately active lifestyle;
• to refuse from bad habits;
• sleep at least seven hours a day;
• drink enough water;
• Be outside more often, soak up the sun's rays.

Those who want to improve their metabolism should promptly treat the slightest disruptions of the endocrine system. The thyroid gland plays a major role in metabolism. Its hypofunction inhibits metabolic processes.

How to speed up your metabolism for weight loss

Those who want to lose weight should know that metabolism can be accelerated. The following methods are used for this:

1. Regular physical activity - doing strength exercises in the gym, at home 2 times a week, intense training for 30-40 minutes a day (treadmill, bicycle).
2. Compliance with the drinking regime - consumption of at least 3 liters of liquid per day (water, kefir, fruit juice).
3. Proper nutrition - counting calories, avoiding fatty, fried foods in favor of steamed foods (vegetables, fish).
4. Drugs that speed up metabolism are recommended for certain health problems.

An incorrect understanding of the method of accelerating metabolism can significantly undermine your health. To prevent this from happening, the following recommendations must be followed:

• Physical activity should be optimal. Exhaustive workouts should not be allowed - the body will lack energy, and the metabolism will begin to slow down.
• Balanced nutrition without long-term diets or overeating. In this case, metabolic processes slow down, and the weight will soon return.
• Rejection of bad habits. Smoking and alcohol have a negative effect on metabolic rate.

Proper nutrition to normalize metabolic processes

A reasonable attitude towards your own nutrition allows you to establish and, if necessary, restore your metabolism. It should be regular, that is, every day at the same time you should eat approximately the same amount.

Frequency - at least three times a day, but it is better to divide the daily diet into five to six doses. Small portions are processed faster, and cells do not experience starvation during the day.

The last meal should be no later than three hours before bedtime. When you sleep, your metabolism naturally slows down, so you should not put extra stress on your body. The mythical rule “do not eat after six” will only do harm if a person does not go to bed at 21:00. Hunger will be felt more acutely, and the body will go into reserve accumulation mode.

The effect of nutrition on metabolism

The speed of metabolic processes is naturally influenced by several factors, but one of the mega-important ones is nutrition. There are a number of rules on how to start metabolism for weight loss that must be followed. Let's pay attention to them:

1. You can't ignore your morning meals. A hearty breakfast is the key to starting your metabolism. In general, no one canceled oatmeal for breakfast and a couple of eggs, so don’t even think about it...
2. You need to stick to fractional meals, eating at least five times a day every 2.5-3 hours. If the time intervals increase, the body will receive a signal to switch to energy saving mode, slowing down the metabolism. Although you can now find information on the Internet that disputes the effectiveness of frequent meals to speed up metabolism - nevertheless, THIS METHOD WORKS!
3. You can’t stick to strict diets, much less starve. If the body does not receive enough energy per day, and this is at least a thousand kilocalories, it will begin to make reserves in the form of subcutaneous fat, while slowing down metabolic processes by up to 30%.
4. Many people mistakenly ignore the rule of maintaining water balance and are surprised when they cannot lose weight. Without sufficient consumption of clean water, weight loss and normal metabolic rate are impossible. Drinking cold or melted water will help speed up this process, because in order to assimilate it, the body will have to “warm it up” to body temperature, spending energy on this. But don’t drink cold water in the hot summer, otherwise the neck may “bo-bo”. Keep the norm to two liters per day.
5. It is necessary to diversify the range of foods and change the amount of calories consumed per day. If the number does not change, the body will get used to it and the metabolism will slow down. Don’t be afraid to give your body a shake-up and increase your diet by 200-300 calories once a week.
6. If you want to burn fat, then you will have to give up bad habits and an unbalanced diet. This is especially true for alcohol, confectionery and flour products, carbonated drinks, processed foods, fast food, chips and other harmful products.

Scientific studies have confirmed that alcohol abuse slows down metabolism by almost 75%.

Products that improve metabolism

It is important not only how to eat, but also what. Certain products can solve problems that disrupt the normal metabolic process. Let's look at where you can get the elements necessary for efficient metabolism.

ElementFoods from which they can be takenProtein

• eggs (especially hard-boiled ones);
• meat (beef and lean pork);
• bird;
• liver;
• fish;
• legumes;
• nuts;
• cheeses.

Healthy carbohydrates

• rice;
• cereal porridge;
• cabbage;
• zucchini;
• pepper;
• onion;
• mushrooms;
• raisins and dried apricots.

Vitamin D

• fish (salmon, chum salmon, herring);
• Cod liver;
• oysters;
• mushrooms;
• goat milk;
• egg yolks;
• butter.

Iron

• offal (liver, kidneys, liver);
• seaweed;
• meat (beef);
• nuts;
• cocoa;
• sesame;
• quince;
• morel mushroom;
• wheat bran.

Calcium

• milk;
• cottage cheese;
• fish;
• nuts;
• cabbage;
• cauliflower and broccoli;
• hard cheeses;
• sesame;
• greenery;
• legumes;
• grape.

What foods are best to exclude?

If there are foods that speed up metabolism, there are also those that slow it down. For those wishing to normalize the process, it is better to avoid using:

• simple carbohydrates - found in potatoes, bananas, melons, corn, flour products, sweets;
• trans fats – present in semi-finished products, sausages, mayonnaise, canned foods;
• artificial sweeteners;
• alcoholic drinks.

The most controversial foods are raw vegetables. On the one hand, they are rich in microelements that are important for saturating cells. On the other hand, they are capable of inhibiting metabolic processes due to the plant fiber they contain.

To achieve balance, nutritionists recommend boiling some vegetables. You can safely eat raw those that contain carbohydrates, vitamins, and iron. And those without metabolic accelerators are better to boil.

How to improve metabolism and lose weight

Metabolic disorders often cause excess weight. Fat deposition and muscle gain are similar anabolic processes. They differ from a catabolic point of view. Accelerating breakdown is beneficial for losing weight, but becomes an obstacle to building muscle.

Therefore, athletes are recommended to slow down their metabolism, and those who want to lose weight, on the contrary, need to speed it up. Help with this:

• warming up before the first meal;
• intense aerobic exercise throughout the day;
• drinking large amounts of water;
• adding spices to food;
• drinking green tea;
• relaxing activities to reduce stress.

Sometimes, to restore shape, it is enough to correct metabolic processes. This will help you lose weight without health-destroying diets and extreme stress. However, this will work for a healthy person.

Drugs that speed up metabolism

Let us note right away: you should not try to establish metabolism through medication without the help of an endocrinologist. All drugs are somehow related to hormones. Uncontrolled use can upset the balance.

By prescribing drugs that improve metabolism, the doctor seeks to cure the disease that slowed it down (hypothyroidism, calcium deficiency, iodine deficiency, and others). There is also a group of medications that stimulate metabolic processes - metabolic drugs:

• anabolic steroids – stimulate protein synthesis;
• hypoglycemic agents – promote the breakdown of glucose;
• lipid-lowering drugs – regulate cholesterol and phospholipid levels.

This group also includes enzymes and antienzymes. Their intake replenishes the deficiency or reduces the increased concentration of catalysts necessary for metabolic processes.

Principles and reasons

Naturally, metabolism can be artificially accelerated. In this case, the principles of slowing it down lie in returning the body to a state of balance, i.e. a rollback to the previous way of life.

If you start playing sports and your body begins to become exhausted, then it is enough to reduce the intensity, which will again slow down the metabolism in the body and change the balance between catabolism and anabolism.

But still, there are painful signs of an overly accelerated metabolism that require medication and medical intervention. You can understand that your metabolism has gone beyond the norm in the direction of unintentional acceleration by the following factors:

• Constant hunger. Especially if you eat regularly and a lot.
• Excessive release of thermal energy (high temperature).
• Increased physical activity accompanied by insomnia.
• High blood pressure, tachycardia.
• Tremor of the limbs.
• Permanent weight loss.
• Rapid onset of fatigue due to skipping meals.
• A small amount of sleep during the day.
• Changed daily cycles (three sleeps per day, 1-2 hours each, instead of the first 8-hour sleep).
• Emotional instability, ultimately leading to nervous exhaustion and subsequent central nervous system diseases.

The presence of these signs indicates a metabolic disorder, for which it is best to consult a doctor.

In turn, with a slow metabolism, it is also not recommended to take measures on your own, since this may be an indicator of the following number of diseases and conditions (source - Textbook “Human Physiology”, Pokrovsky):

• Hypothyroidism;
• Lack of growth hormone.
• Pathology of the adrenal glands.
• Disturbance in the hypothalamic-pituitary system.
• Hypogonadism.

When trying to interfere with the speed of metabolic processes, you should remember that artificially slowing down metabolism is a direct path to obesity, diabetes and heart disease!

What happens if metabolic disorders are not eliminated?

Restoring your metabolism is necessary not only to lose weight. Excess weight is just one of the possible threats. Although it subsequently leads to various diseases.

The metabolic disorder itself leads to the body not receiving the required substances. As a result, the risk increases:

• diabetes mellitus;
• iron deficiency anemia;
• digestive disorders;
• infertility;
• slowing down the removal of toxins with subsequent intoxication;
• dystrophic processes of the musculoskeletal system;
• developmental delays (in children and adolescents).

Ideally, it is better to avoid metabolic disorders altogether. There are many ways to prevent them, which anyone can do. But we cannot influence some causes of such deviations (heredity or age). Therefore, it is worth listening carefully to the body’s signals in order to recognize a slowdown in metabolism in the early stages.

Hot peppers

The best foods for metabolism are those that contain certain substances, such as capsaicin. This compound actively affects pain receptors in the human body, causing people to sweat very much. This way, blood circulation increases, metabolism increases, and extra pounds are quickly burned. This substance is found in very spicy foods, for example, in all varieties of hot peppers. According to studies, eating hot peppers improves metabolism by as much as 25%. This indicator applies equally to chili peppers, cayenne peppers, and jalapenos.

How to understand that it's time to improve your metabolism

Knowing how to improve metabolism in the body is useful. But it is equally important to be able to recognize when it is necessary. The body itself will tell you that it is not receiving enough useful elements through:

• digestive disorders for no apparent reason;
• weight fluctuations;
• brittleness of hair and nails;
• muscle pain not associated with physical activity;
• skin rash;
• swelling of the face and legs;
• more frequent reasons to visit the dentist.

Don't think that it will go away on its own or that it's not scary. It is better to immediately contact an endocrinologist and get tested. The main emphasis is on biochemical blood tests and tests for hormone concentrations. The doctor will tell you which ones based on the accompanying symptoms. Further consultations with related specialists are possible: gynecologist, gastroenterologist, hematologist, rheumatologist.

Tokareva Lyudmila Georgievna, therapist, medical offices 36.6

THERE ARE CONTRAINDICATIONS, BEFORE USE YOU MUST CONSULT WITH A SPECIALIST

Types of drugs

All metabolic drugs are divided into natural and synthetic based on their origin. The active ingredients in them can be hormones, steroids, vitamins, and herbal ingredients. Their mechanism of metabolic action is different: some accelerate the absorption of carbohydrates, others accelerate the absorption of proteins, and others accelerate the breakdown of fats.

Fat burning

Lipid-breaking agents include fat burners. They accelerate the removal of fats from the body and are most effective if you combine their intake with physical activity. This group includes L-Carnitine, Orsoten, Xenical.

Fat burners also include anabolic steroid drugs that affect hormonal levels due to the presence of androgens. The most popular drugs in this group: Anadrol, Anavar, Danabol.

Diuretics

Their action is based on cleansing the body of excess fluid and toxins, which lead to a slowdown in biochemical processes. Drugs with diuretic properties - Lespenefril, Turboslim-Drainage.

Appetite suppressants

Decreased appetite occurs in 2 ways: the production of enzymes that cause food to swell in the stomach, and the production of hormones that affect the satiety center in the brain. This group includes Slimia, Goldline, MCC, as well as hormonal pills aimed at treating endocrine diseases. They normalize the level of glucose and cholesterol in the blood and suppress appetite, affecting the satiety center. The most commonly prescribed are Reduxin, Sibutramine, and L-Thyroxine. The choice of drug is based on the individual characteristics of the body and is carried out only by a doctor.

Stimulants

This is a group of drugs that accelerate the breakdown of fats, carbohydrates and proteins, but do not have a fat-burning effect. Long-term stimulation of metabolism by these tablets can cause addiction. This type of product includes Lecithin, L-Carnitine, Tavamin.

Vitamins

This group is effective for accelerating metabolism only in the absence of diseases and hormonal disorders. Vitamins help cleanse the body of toxins and act as antioxidants.

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The most effective vitamins and minerals for accelerating metabolism are Omega-3, folic acid, calcium, chromium, choline, and vitamin C.

Vitamin complexes for correcting metabolism are as follows:

• Mono Oxy;
• Alpha Vita;
• Vita Minerals;
• Vita Zeolite.

Supplements

Herbal dietary supplements are inferior to synthetic ones in effectiveness, but they have fewer side effects and contraindications. They are prescribed in addition to the usual diet. These include dietary supplements based on Leuzea, ginseng, senna alexandria, lemongrass, Rhodiola rosea, and caffeine benzoate.