Catabolic Metabolism
Understand The Relation Between Food And Energy

Catabolic metabolism is a term that is usually used to reference the process used by the humans-and other living organisms as well- to break down the food taken into the body system to be able to produce energy that is required for normal functioning of the human body cells and tissues.

Catabolic processes refer to these processes that see the complex in-taken food being broken down into simple molecules that can easily be assimilated into the body cells. The process includes both biological processes and chemical reactions within the body. The catabolic processes in humans differ greatly from other organisms but we will restrict ourselves to the human process in this article.

Redox Reactions

The catabolic process usually includes the redox reactions which result in the breakdown of the complex substances that we take into their simple chemical parts such as carbon-dioxide. There are both acceptor molecules and donor receptor molecules in the human processes and electrons transferred from the donor molecules are taken up by the accepting molecules.

Steps of Catabolism

Catabolic metabolism does not occur in one single step, it occurs in stages. These stages include:

1. Digesting - this involves the intake of food into the body through the mouth and consequential breakdown of the food into smaller components. Digestive enzymes aid in this stage of catabolism. Examples of such hormones include; glycoside hydrolases for polysaccharides, pepsin for proteins and proteolytic enzymes responsible for the eventual breakdown of proteins into amino acids that are directly assimilated into the body cells.

2. Releasing of the energy - after the cells take up these molecules from the blood stream, they do due conversion on them into smaller molecules, a process that results in the production of energy.

3. The acetyls groups produced in step two are oxidized and more energy results.

Ineffective Catabolism

If for some reason the catabolic metabolism does go through as it should then the body or some part of the body may have problems. The rate of the process should be adequate and optimum at the same time. Too fast or too slow have negative consequences on the body system. For example, if food is not adequately broken down, most of it is stored by the body as fat and may be the reason for your belly fat or excess weight. So for you to achieve a reduction of weight you need to address the core problem and ensure the catabolic is going as it is naturally scheduled.

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