Digestion is often equated with metabolism, but this is not entirely correct. Digestion is a preliminary stage of metabolism, and it makes the nutrients usable for our body. If you want to boost your metabolism, you usually mean catabolic and anabolic metabolism.

How do these metabolic processes differ?

Catabolism (breakdown metabolism): Here, complex substances are converted into simple molecules. In this way, energy is gained, the body is detoxified, and so-called "storage energy" is stored in muscle cells.
Anabolism (building metabolism): With this metabolic process, cells are built up or repaired, so it is also known as building metabolism. Substances such as amino acids, fatty acids and glucose are converted into the body's cell components. These are needed for building muscle mass, cell renewal, wound healing, and more.

The two metabolic processes always run one after the other in the cell, never simultaneously. The body needs enzymes and hormones to ensure that the metabolic processes run correctly.

The body needs a certain amount of energy every day to maintain all functions. This amount is also called the “basal metabolic rate.” If we supply the body with more energy in food than it needs, it is stored. This happens, for example, in the muscles or the subcutaneous fat tissue. The body draws on this stored energy and breaks it down, for example, when we play sport or do physical work or eat a low-carbohydrate diet. If this energy is not broken down, it will lead to weight gain.

In everyday life, the phrase “My metabolism is disturbed” is often heard when the meaning is: The metabolism is slow and sluggish, or it is difficult to lose weight.

Congenital metabolic disorders do exist. The reason for this is a mutation in the metabolic gene KSR2. This results in increased appetite, insulin resistance, a reduced basal metabolic rate, and often overweight. However, only 1 percent of people are affected by this genetic defect, so that it cannot be viewed as a general cause of obesity or sluggish metabolism.

An underactive thyroid also slows down the metabolism. The thyroid regulates the enzyme and hormone balance, which controls the metabolism. Other symptoms include tiredness, incredible and rough skin, and hair loss. Hypothyroidism can be diagnosed by a doctor and treated with medication.

What many people mean when they talk about a disturbed metabolism: The catabolic metabolism is slowed down. Why this so depends on many different factors:

Gender: Men tend to burn more energy because they have more muscle mass than women.
Age: With increasing age, the metabolism slows down.
Diet: Too much sugar, too few proteins, or too much alcohol means that energy is burned less or more slowly.
Sleep: Insufficient or irregular sleep slows down the metabolism.

When it comes to bodyweight and your desired figure, it’s not always just about how much you eat. It’s all about how your body uses what you eat. The metabolism, also called metabolism, is decisive for this. To put it simply, the components of the food consumed, such as fats and carbohydrates, which serve as energy suppliers for the body, are metabolized.

The metabolism is different in every person. You could also say: unfair. Because while the so-called “good feed converters” can eat what they want, the “bad feed converters” gain weight very quickly. But: You can do something yourself to boost your metabolism. We’ll tell you how
Why is metabolism essential in losing weight?

A fast metabolism is, of course, especially beneficial if you want to lose weight or at least keep it off. But age, gender and diet determine how effectively the metabolic processes in your body run.

One thing is clear: the more you metabolize, i.e. burn, the sooner the pounds drop. And the less this process is hindered, the less strenuous the weight loss project. We have put together the most famous “brakes” in the metabolism game for you here. Often it is about overeating or overeating, but the time when you eat also plays a role. See for yourself.