Something about metabolism in human body - 1

Metabolism is a word you must have heard of if you are having any health issues lingering on for a long time.  For understanding this, you need to know what happens to the food that you take in daily, after it enters your body.  As you take in the food through the mouth, food not only tastes good in your mouth but it also provides nutrition for all the components of your body, for the brain function, muscles, blood, bones, and much more.  Take for example, salad, it contains full of nutritional benefits but your body cannot do much with the food as it is, as the food enters your body, it gets broken down into molecular components so that you can actually use the nutrition these molecules provide.  All the activities including the chemical activities happens in your body to convert these molecules or use energy derived from it are called metabolism.  This energy drives our bodily process which is very critical for our survival.

Metabolism is a broad term, and it includes all the chemical activities in your body.  As mentioned, Metabolism is divided into 2 categories:

Catabolism:  Catabolism involves all of the metabolic processes that tear down the molecules that generate energy to drive our bodily process.  One way of understanding catabolism is to compare the food that we eat to a large building and other structures, when catabolism process starts, it is like earthquake which makes the large building and other structures fall apart and reduced to rubbles and dust, same is a type of process with Catabolism which makes our food are taken in are digested and thus generate energy.

Anabolism: Anabolism is the opposite of Catabolism.  Anabolism is the process by which organisms synthesize complex molecules of life from simpler ones obtained through our food that is few types of raw materials are used to synthesize a wide variety of end products required by our body.  Anabolic processes produce peptides, proteins, polysaccharides and lipids amongst others.  These molecules comprise of all the materials of a living cell, such as membranes and chromosomes, as well as specialized products of specific types of cells, such as enzymes, antibodies, hormones and neurotransmitters.

Although Catabolism and Anabolism occurs simultaneously in the cell, the chemical reactions of both are controlled independently of each other.  The reasons why the chemical reactions are controlled independently is because Catabolism is a so called downhill process during which energy is released, while Anabolism is an uphill process which require input of energy.  At certain points in the anabolic process, the cell must put in more energy into a reaction.

Something about metabolism in human body

Metabolism is a term that are used to describe any chemical reactions involved in maintaining a living state of the cells and the organism.  Same wise metabolism in human body is the process of breaking down large molecules like food into usable energy through chemical process.

Metabolism is divided conveniently into two categories

Catabolism – which means breakdown of molecules to obtain energy, it means disintegration.

Anabolism – which means the synthesis of all compounds needed by the cells, it means reorganization.

cont’d..

Chemical composition of human body – Understanding Antioxidant & Oxidative Stress – 1

Free radicals in your body pose a legitimate threat to your long term health and longevity.

The take home message that is that if you want to reduce inflammation, reduce the risk of chronic disease and even cancers, be sure that your tissues are functioning efficiently, strongly and make antioxidants rich food eating a daily affairs.  An antioxidant comprises of atoms with excess electrons that it can donate to stabilize the free radicals and also stop the domino effects in its tracks.  It is associated with slowing the aging process because it slows or prevents cell damage such as that which occurs with aging.

Antioxidants are further categorized into non-enzymatic(found in foods) and enzymatic(produced by the body).  Enzymatic antioxidants cannot be supplemented orally because they require co factors in the form of trace minerals such as copper, zinc, magnesium, manganese, iron and selenium which are obtained via the diet.  The non-enzymatic antioxidants are found in food, supplement our internal antioxidant defense system, preventing possible depletion and onset of disease.

CoQ10 is the most powerful antioxidant used by the body and it is particularly effective in protecting the heart, arteries and blood vessels, as well as slowing down premature ageing.

Glutathione is the master antioxidant produced in the body.  It is found in every single cell of your body.  Glutathione together with the mineral selenium makes the antioxidant enzyme Glutathione Peroxidase, which is very important for healthy liver function and longevity.

Superoxide dismutase or SOD is another major antioxidant produced by the body.

Alpha-lipoic acid is also one of the antioxidant which our body makes in small amount but then we can get it from food also.

N-acetyle cysteine (NAC) is another antioxidant that is there to enhance immune functions and maintain healthy lung function.  It also boosts levels of Glutathione.  If you have cataract, check for this antioxidant and Glutathione relationship and you will find the answer.

Vitamin C is another antioxidant is well known in its ability to help lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol as well as reduce risks of developing chronic disease such as heart disease.

Vitamin E is the major lipid or fat soluble antioxidant in the body and is the antioxidant that comes to the rescue when a free radical attacks the fatty acids in the cell’s linings.  Vitamin E is also important for diabetics, it enables insulin to reach healthy cell receptor sites that have not been damaged by free radicals.

Selenium is also another important antioxidant and is essential cancer protecting nutrient.