Maintaining a Healthy Metabolism

Metabolism involves catabolism and anabolism. These two usually go in tandem such that as there is more breakdown of food, there is a complementary buildup of tissue. Tissue breakdown in autophagy supplies the nutrients and energy, necessary for tissue recycling and rejuvenation, through the intermediary of growth factors and the growth hormone. However, dietary food supply provides excessive amount of carbohydrates and fats that breakdown to form de novo fat, which through insulin, is stored and in addition to tissue buildup from available amino acids from dietary protein.

High AMP prevents metabolism due to inability of enzymes, principally tyrosine kinases, to phosphorylate target proteins and DNA and ramp up metabolism. AMP synthetase, in response, goes into action to promote autophagy, the breakdown of tissue proteins, and stored carbohydrates and lipids, and ramp up metabolism. This is a compensatory mechanism that coincides with the activation of adenylate cyclase which now promotes phosphorylation, including of transcription factors. When there is an abundance of dietary food, however, insulin, a growth hormone-like factor, is released, instead, and promotes fat deposition, in addition to slightly increased metabolism, and protein incorporation into tissues.

Physical activity and limited energy availability therefore promote lean tissue growth, while a sedentary lifestyle and an abundance of dietary food supply support fat deposition. This explains why growth and cell division occurs in the day(during activity), and in the night(during fasting) and following repairs, that can only occur at rest. These periods and activities are concomitant with the release of growth hormone. Psychological stress, merely transfers fats from normal fat depots into the viscera, the wrong place for them, since the muscles are not activated well enough to help the liver burn them, through irisin.

To maintain a healthy metabolism and lean weight, we must strive to strike the right balance between what we eat and how active we are. A low glycemic index is equally desirable. Fruits and vegetables, full of vitamins and anti-oxidants, are essential.

Dr. Oliver Verbe Birnso, MD.

Comments

  1. sabrinaMarch 28, 2016 at 11:26 PM

    Metabolism is very important to our health. Because it can take many virus away from us.

    ReplyDelete

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