Introduction:
The nutrition we take in lays the foundation for health. Nutrition intake has an impact on metabolism, growth, and development. Growth is referred to as an increase in mass or size. It occurs through the multiplication of cells and an increase in intracellular substances. Metabolism, on the other hand, is a chemical process that changes food into fuel (energy). It occurs in all body cells. The energy produced is needed to perform all the activities such as digestion of food, development of new cells, repair of tissues and organs, etc. Thus, we can say that metabolism is related to growth.
What Is Growth?
Growth is an irreversible increase in size or mass. It takes place throughout the lifetime. The rate of growth varies with age. It is faster until maturity, after which it is gradual and slows down.
Growth is regulated by a group of hormones called growth hormones or somatotropins.
What Is Metabolism?
You must have heard the term "metabolism" when people discuss weight, height, or nutrition.
Some say they have a slow metabolism; others say their metabolism is fast. Metabolism is a series of processes going on continuously inside the body for the production and utilization of energy, thereby enabling the normal functioning of the body. These processes include a breakdown of food for the production of energy, building, maintenance, and repair of the body. Whatever we do requires energy. Be it thinking, walking, learning, growing, or any activity. Thousands of metabolic pathways run at the same time to keep our bodies healthy and working.
What Does Metabolism Do?
Metabolism continues to work even when your body is at rest. Energy is required for carrying out processes such as:
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Respiration.
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Blood circulation.
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Digestion.
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Growth and repair.
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Temperature regulation.
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Hormones secretion and their functions, etc.
How Does Metabolism Work?
As we eat the food, enzymes act on the food. Specific enzymes perform specific functions.
The digestive system breaks the food down into carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and amino acids.
The digestive enzymes break the proteins into amino acids, fats into fatty acids, and carbohydrates into simple sugars. The body can use this simple substance whenever needed.
How Does the Body Use These Simple Substances as an Energy Source?
These simple compounds (sugar, amino acid, fatty acid) are absorbed into the blood. The blood ultimately reaches the cells. After entering the cells, other enzymes act on them to speed up the metabolizing process. During this process, energy is produced. This energy can be stored in reserve (liver, muscle, adipose tissue) or used by the body to perform various functions. About one-tenth of the energy is utilized by the body to convert food into fuel. The rest is used for physical movements.
What Are Anabolism and Catabolism?
Metabolism can be anabolism or catabolism. In anabolism, the smaller molecules combine to form larger molecules. Energy is reserved, leading to the building up of body tissues and the filling of energy stores. It is a constructive process that results in the construction and storage of energy. It supports growth, maintenance, and storage. Catabolism is a destructive process. In catabolism, large molecules are broken down into smaller molecules for energy.
What Is a BMR?
BMR is the basal metabolic rate. It refers to the minimum number of calories utilized by the body at rest. The basal metabolic rate varies from one individual to another.
What Is a Fast or Slow BMR?
People with a fast metabolism burn a lot of calories even when at rest. But this does not necessarily mean that people with a fast metabolism will always be thin.
Individuals with slow metabolism require fewer calories to keep up with normal processes.
How Are Metabolism and Growth Related?
Metabolism is directly proportional to growth. More metabolism leads to more growth.
Metabolism is a chemical process that takes place within living organisms for the maintenance of life. It includes adenosine triphosphate synthesis, digestion, respiration, photosynthesis, protein synthesis, etc. Thus all the processes (digestion, respiration, excretion, etc.) are included in metabolism. Growth is not only an increase in mass but also includes skills, memory, and reproduction. Protein is the building block in animals that is synthesized from metabolic activities. Thus metabolism is related to growth. When we grow old, our metabolism decreases. When the metabolic requirements of the body are not fulfilled, we die.
Metabolism and Weight:
Many People Blame Their Weight Gain on a Slow Metabolism. What Does That Mean?
It is easy to blame metabolism, but the truth is maintaining weight is a complex process and is affected by genes, hormones, lifestyle, physical activity, diet, sleep, and stress levels. Lack of activity along with lower energy needs slows metabolism. When you have more calorie intake and no net expenditure, it will get stored in the form of fat. Thus, keeping a balance between calorie intake and energy expenditure results in a balanced weight. In some medical issues, such as Cushing syndrome and hypothyroidism, weight gain is because of a slow metabolism, but it can be corrected by taking proper medication.
Cell Metabolism and Cell Growth:
To maintain homeostasis, the body must balance cell growth and cell death. To carry out such a process, the body requires a central mechanism that is dependent on the microenvironment of the cell. Proper growth signals are required to carry out metabolic processes. The cells that receive appropriate signals survive while those who fail to receive appropriate signals undergo apoptosis (programmed cell death).
Coordinated cell growth, proliferation, and death all are essential for the optimal function of all the organs and tissues within the body. Excessive cell growth or cell death may result in degenerative or neoplastic diseases. It is quite clear that there is a key mechanism of regulation of cell metabolism by which growth signals control cell growth and death. Thus, we can conclude that cells are dependent on growth factors to maintain survival because growth factors regulate cell metabolism to overcome metabolic checkpoints for growth, multiplication, and death.
Conclusion:
Metabolism is a sum of reactions occurring throughout the body that results in energy production. The energy is later on utilized by the body to carry out vital functions.
For survival, every living organism takes nutrients as building blocks for growth, development, movement, and reproduction. This breakdown of complex food into simpler ones and its utilization is mediated by enzymes, which are the proteins with specific functions in metabolism (anabolism and catabolism). Thus it is rightly said that growth and metabolism are related.
