CHAPTER-2 METABOLISM

What is Metabolism?
“Metabolism is the series of chemical reactions that occur in a living
organism to sustain life.”

Metabolism is the total amount of the biochemical reactions involved in maintaining the living
condition of the cells in an organism. All living organisms require energy for different essential
processes and for producing new organic substances.
The metabolic processes help in growth and reproduction and help in maintaining the structures
of living organisms. The organisms respond to the surrounding environment due to metabolic
activities. All the chemical reactions occurring in the living organisms from digestion to
transportation of substances from cell to cell require energy.

Concept of Metabolism
How does a cell extract energy and how does it synthesize the building blocks of its
macromolecules?
Here comes the concept of metabolism. Metabolism is the sum total of all the chemical reactions
taking place in the cells of the living organisms. This involves both breaking and making of
biomolecules. Catabolism and anabolism are two types of metabolism. Catabolism (breaking of
bonds) involves the breaking of biomolecules while anabolism (making of bonds) is the building
of new compounds required by the cells.
The food which we eat happens to be useless until and unless it undergoes metabolic changes.
During metabolism, biomolecules present in the food get utilized to extract the energy from the
cell. In addition, conversion and formation of the biomolecules take place. In other words, the
transformation of one compound results in the formation of another molecule. For example, the
proteins we obtained from the food are metabolized into amino acids, which are later utilized to
synthesize another protein required by the cell.
All metabolic changes take place in multiple reactions and follow a particular pathway called the
metabolic pathway. The metabolic pathway includes a series of reactions. All metabolic reactions
are catalyzed by a set of proteinaceous compounds called enzymes.
Hence, metabolism is an enzyme-catalyzed reaction which provides biomolecules, needed by
the cells for growth, maintenance, and repair etc. Let us summarize the purposes of metabolic
pathways in the below three points:

 To extract energy from the food for cellular activities.

Metabolic Process
There are two types of metabolic process:

 Catabolism
 Anabolism

Catabolism – This process is mainly involved in breaking down larger organic molecules into
smaller molecules. This metabolic process releases energy.
Anabolism – This process is mainly involved in building up or synthesizing compounds
from simpler substances required by the cells. This metabolic process requires and stores
energy.
Metabolism is related to nutrition and the existence of nutrients. Bioenergetics describes the
metabolism as the biochemical pathway through which the cells obtain energy. One of the major
aspects is the energy formation.
Nutrition and Energy
The processes of metabolism depend on the nutrients that get digested to produce energy. This
energy is necessary to synthesize nucleic acids, proteins and other biomolecules in our body.
Nutrients include various substances for the body requirements which are either in the sufficient
amount or insufficient, resulting in poor health, concerning metabolism.
Necessary nutrients help by supplying the required energy and other necessary chemicals that
the body cannot synthesize on its own. Food provides different substances that are essential for
the bodybuilding and repairing of tissues along with the proper functioning of the body.
The diet requires both organic nutrients and inorganic chemical compounds.
Organic nutrients include fats, vitamins, carbohydrates, and proteins.
Inorganic chemical compounds include oxygen, water, and other dietary minerals.

Carbohydrates in Metabolism
Carbohydrates are supplied in three forms:

 Starch
 Sugar
 Cellulose
Starch and sugar are the major forms of energy for humans. Metabolism of carbohydrates and
sugar helps in the production of glucose.

Proteins in Metabolism
Proteins are important for building tissues. They help in maintaining the structure of the cells, its
functions, the formation of haemoglobin, and several other body functions. The amino acids of
proteins are beneficial for nutrition. Few amino acids are not synthesized by the body and are
taken in from the food we eat. These amino acids include:

 Lysine
 Tryptophan
 Methionine
 Isoleucine
 Leucine
 Phenylalanine
 Threonine

How to Increase Metabolism?

 To be fit and healthy, we need to avoid more calories intake and lose extra pounds. We
eat to deliver energy for our body to perform its functions. Eating too little quantities could
slow down our metabolism and body cannot provide essential minerals. As per the
research, extreme dieting leads to weight loss which is muscle mass and not fat
mass.
  Having proper breakfast, boost up the body’s metabolism and keeps us energetic
throughout the day. Skipping morning breakfast are more likely to have poor metabolic
energy.
 Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and can activate our metabolism rate by
5 to 8 percent.
 According to researchers, fibre can help in burning fat by 30 percent. People who include
more fibre in their diet remain fit and healthy.
 Including more organic foods like peaches, bell peppers, celery, apples, lettuce, grapes
can boost up the metabolism rate in our body.

Metabolic Basis For Living

Metabolic pathways involve the extraction of energy by breaking molecules and using this energy
to synthesize the building blocks. The process of metabolism occurs in two phases, namely
anabolism and catabolism.
The metabolic pathway in which a complex molecule is produced from simple molecules is called
an anabolic pathway. Since it involves the synthesis of metabolites, it is also known as the
biosynthetic pathway.
For example, amino acids become proteins. The catabolic pathway is another metabolic pathway
where a more complex structure is broken down into simple molecules.
Glycolysis is an example of the catabolic pathway where a more complex 6-C glucose molecule is
reduced to 3-C pyruvic acid.
Anabolism takes place at the expense of energy, i.e., anabolic pathways need energy input and
consume energy. Catabolism liberates energy. Energy is released when glucose is converted to
lactic acid. In living organisms, the liberated energy packs are stored and preserved for later use.
Living systems use this stored energy for making new bonds (anabolism), mechanical work and
other purposes in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).