what does the term metabolic mean
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Answer:
Metabolic: Relating to metabolism, the whole range of biochemical processes that occur within us (or any living organism). ... The term "metabolic" is often used to refer specifically to the breakdown of food and its transformation into energy.
Metabolism
✏Metabolism is a term that is used to describe all chemical reactions involved in maintaining the living state of the cells and the organism. Metabolism can be conveniently divided into two categories:
☞Catabolism - the breakdown of molecules to obtain energy
☞Anabolism - the synthesis of all compounds needed by the cells
✏Metabolism is closely linked to nutrition and the availability of nutrients. Bioenergetics is a term that describes the biochemical or metabolic pathways by which the cell ultimately obtains energy. Energy formation is one of the vital components of metabolism.
Nutrition, metabolism and energy
✏Nutrition is the key to metabolism. The pathways of metabolism rely upon nutrients that they breakdown in order to produce energy. This energy in turn is required by the body to synthesize molecules like new proteins and nucleic acids (DNA, RNA).
✏Nutrients in relation to metabolism encompass factors like bodily requirements for various substances, individual functions in the body, the amount needed, and the level below which poor health results.
✏Essential nutrients supply energy (calories) and supply the necessary chemicals which the body itself cannot synthesize. Food provides a variety of substances that are essential for the building, upkeep, and repair of body tissues, and for the efficient functioning of the body.
✏The diet needs essential nutrients like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and around 20 other inorganic elements. The major elements are supplied in carbohydrates, lipids, and protein. In addition, vitamins, minerals and water are necessary.
Carbohydrates in metabolism
✏Foods supply carbohydrates in three forms: starch, sugar, and cellulose (fiber). Starches and sugars form major and essential sources of energy for humans. Fibers contribute to bulk in diet.
✏Body tissues depend on glucose for all activities. Carbohydrates and sugars yield glucose by digestion or metabolism.
✏The overall reaction for the combustion of glucose is written as:
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 -----> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O + energy
✏Most people consume around half of their diet as carbohydrates. This comes from foods such as rice, wheat, bread, potatoes and pasta.
Proteins in metabolism
✏Proteins are the main tissue builders in the body. They are part of every cell in the body. Proteins help in cell structure, functions, hemoglobin formation to carry oxygen, enzymes to carry out vital reactions and a myriad of other functions in the body. Proteins are also vital in supplying nitrogen for DNA and RNA genetic material and energy production.