There is a lot of talk on the Internet about metabolism and its speed. But when I read about it on various websites, there is a feeling that most of the authors associated with fitness and nutrition have a vague idea of what basic principles of metabolism exist, how complicated and, at the same time, ingenious it is.

Metabolism Chart

Let’s look at the metabolism chart:

Are you terrified? ? I felt the same when I first saw it!

The chart shows thousands biochemical reactions in living things. And despite significant differences, almost all living organisms have the same fundamental stages of metabolism.

And only in some distinctions, human metabolism differs from that of fish or, say, microbes. And our regulation mechanisms are different. But in general, the same substances circulate and transformed in identical reactions in bodies of animals, plants, in the cells of microbes.

To give you an idea of what metabolism is, here are some key facts about it.

Important Components Of Metabolism

Biochemical reactions in the body differ from the chemical reactions familiar from school in one significant way. They happen with the participation of powerful natural catalysts – enzymes.

These are huge and incredibly complex protein molecules, which have their unique properties and geometry. Each enzyme has a strictly defined place in the body and performs a very narrow range of tasks. More than 4,000 enzymes are known. And about 3,000 of them work in the human body. Note, not 3,000 enzyme molecules, but 3,000 names!

And most of the protein molecules in the body are, at the same time, enzymes, for example, contractile proteins actin and myosin.

The most important property of enzymes is their incredible speed! Enzymes speed up chemical reactions billions and even trillions of times. The speed of some enzymes is comparable to modern computer processors – tens and hundreds of millions of operations per second. Moreover, some reactions could not take place at all if there were no enzymes.

Various stages of the same biochemical process in the body happen in different places of the same cell or even organism. It means: the creation of one substance may begin in one area of a cell and end in another. Moreover, some substances created by enzymes start in one organ and get the final form in another.

For example, the formation of glycogen in humans comes from lactic acid formed during active muscle work. The blood transports lactic acid from the muscles to the liver. There it is used to create glucose and later glycogen.

Various mechanisms regulate the rate of enzyme work on numerous levels: genetic, nervous, chemical. But the most interesting (in terms of practice) is regulation by hormones.

Think of a situation when you are suddenly frightened. Your vision and hearing sharpen, muscles tensed, rapid breathing, sweat, and goosebumps on your skin. That is the typical hormonal enzyme work regulation by adrenaline and noradrenaline hormones.

And it’s almost immediate! In just a few seconds, the muscles became many times stronger and faster!

Metabolic Acceleration

And what is metabolic acceleration? It’s nothing more than speeding up your enzymes! It also speeds up the circulation of body fluids (blood and lymph) and increases the frequency of nerve impulses sent by your brain to your muscles and other organs.

Speeding up the work of enzymes means that the creation and breakdown of various complex substances in the body goes faster. That, in turn, means that the body consumes noticeably more oxygen and releases more carbon dioxide.

And on that are based methods for measuring the rate of metabolic processes in the body. The higher the amount of oxygen consumed by the body per unit of time, the faster your metabolism.

Metabolism cannot be accelerated only once so that it remains stimulated all the time. It must be continually accelerated because it tends to slow down by itself, especially if a person is sick, not very active, rarely eats, is significantly overweight, and has low muscle mass.

How To Speed Up Metabolism?

One of the best ways to speed up metabolism is to exercise! Especially by doing strength training. It is the healthiest and most natural way to stimulate your metabolism and the production of hormones that speed it up.

However, not all exercises are equally good at speeding up metabolism. Moreover, not all drills speed up metabolism so much that it remains accelerated for a long time after the workout.

The most effective ways to speed up your metabolism are strength training, CrossFit, interval training, and circuit training. By using them, metabolism stays accelerated for another 10 to 48 hours. Metabolism after other types of fitness within half an hour returns to normal. Also, the more muscles in the body, the faster the overall metabolism.

Related: What Is The Post Workout Anabolic Window?

Your metabolism is also stimulated by regular meals, vitamins, good mood, positive emotions, massage, deep breathing.

Also, here is a short list what can provide a faster metabolism:
? Minimal body fat
? Mobility and movability
? Accelerated circulation of body fluids (blood and lymph)
? No limitation in nutrition (maybe a little)
? Good local skin metabolism (a tangible help in getting rid of cellulite)
? Fast disposal of deposits and toxins
? Normalization of hormonal background in the body
? Good health and excellent immunity

To Conclude

I think now you have an idea what are the basic principles of metabolism and how you can affect it in the right way. Remember: to have a fast metabolism is essential if you want to be fit! So, be healthy and stay fit! ?