Column #17

Metabolism describes the chemical reactions that take place to maintain the living state of cells and the entire body. There are two phases. Catabolism breaks down large molecules into smaller units that are either oxidized to release energy or used in other anabolic reactions. Anabolism produces chemical compounds from smaller units and requires energy.

Metabolism is totally dependent on nutrition. The biochemical reactions or metabolic pathways by which cells obtain energy are the vital components of metabolism. Nutrients are broken down to produce energy which powers all body functions which includes synthesizing new proteins, nucleic acids, DNA, RNA, etc. Bodies need many different substances to support various body functions. When those substances are below the minimum requirements, the result is poor health.

Essential nutrients can only be ingested, not synthesized. Only food, water, and air provide energy and all of the necessary elements and compounds that can’t be synthesized by the body for building, maintenance, repair, and efficient body functions. Most of the essential substances come from food.

The diet requires organic nutrients that by definition are compounds containing carbon atoms combined with others such as hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, or sulfur. There are at least 20 additional inorganic essential chemical elements that are required including calcium, potassium, sodium, chlorine, magnesium, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum, iodine, bromine, and selenium. The total number of trace chemical elements required for life is still not known. More than 50 elements are found in the human body. The primary elements come from carbohydrates, lipids, protein, vitamins, minerals, and water.

Foods are composed chiefly of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, water, vitamins, and minerals. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats supply 90% of the dry weight of the diet and 100% of its energy. They move along intersecting sets of metabolic pathways that are unique to each major nutrient. When all three nutrients are abundant in the diet, carbohydrates and fats are used primarily for energy while proteins provide raw materials for making hormones, muscle, and other essential biological needs. Proteins can also provide energy.

When food is digested it is broken down into basic units. Carbohydrates become sugars, proteins become amino acids, and fats become fatty acids and glycerol. The modern diet for most people is loaded with quick energy because it’s half carbohydrate which yield sugars and glucose by digestion and metabolism. Fats are avoided yet they are concentrated sources of slow generating energy. By weight, fats produce twice as much energy as either carbohydrates or protein.

Fats play many crucial roles in metabolism. They help form the cellular structure, form protective cushions and insulation around vital organs, help absorb fat soluble vitamins, and provide a reserve storage for energy. Most fats are synthesized and regulated by the body.

Essential fatty acids, Omega-6 and Omega-3, come from food. Both are involved in functions such as cell growth and the central nervous system. But they have offsetting functions in inflammation. When Omega-6 by weight in cell membranes is four or more times Omega-3, the result is an inflammatory response. In addition, when these two essential fat groups are out of balance, the impact on the immune system, nervous system, and brain function is negative. And this imbalance of fatty acids is a marker in all chronic diseases.

Proteins are body builders. They are large, complex molecules that play many critical roles in the body. Proteins help in cell structure and functions, hemoglobin formation to carry oxygen, enzymes to carry out vital reactions, and other body functions. Proteins are also vital in supplying nitrogen for DNA and RNA genetic material and energy production.

Proteins are made up of smaller units called amino acids, which are attached to one another in long chains. There are 20 different types of amino acids, eight of which are essential, that can be combined to make a protein. The essential amino acids are: lysine, tryptophan, methionine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, valine, and threonine. The best source is meats.

Vitamins are very important in metabolism. The essential vitamins that must be present in the diet are A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, C, E, and K. Humans can synthesize B3 and D. Gut and intestinal bacteria can synthesize K and B12, and certain B-vitamins. Green vegetables and meats are the best sources.

Almost all metabolic processes in the cell need enzymes. They function as catalysts to speed up metabolic processes by well over a million-fold so reactions, that would take years in the absence of catalysis, can occur in fractions of seconds if catalyzed by the appropriate enzyme. Enzymes are found in all plants and animals. But they are sensitive to heat and when the temperature of food is cooked thoroughly to 140 degrees Fahrenheit the enzymes are denatured (destroyed). Enzymes are not essential though because animals and humans produce them from amino acids. The body recycles digestive enzymes from any source until they wear out.

Human bodies are complex chemistry laboratories. They require a specific fuel for optimal function. The complexity of the human body is many times that of an automobile engine, yet most consumers care far more about the grade of gas and oil they put in their car than the fuel they put in their bodies.

Green leafy plants are the main source of nutrients for animal life. Fruit, roots, seeds, nuts, stalks, and wood do not have the nutrient diversity or density of green leaves. There is considerable similarity for nutrient needs across the entire animal spectrum. Kale, spinach, and other greens along with meats from grass-fed livestock and Omega-3 animals provide nearly all, if not all, of those nutrient needs in perfect balance.

To your health.

Ted Slanker

Ted Slanker has been reporting on the fundamentals of nutritional research in publications, television and radio appearances, and at conferences since 1999. He condenses complex studies into the basics required for health and well-being. His eBook, The Real Diet of Man, is available online.

For additional reading:

Metabolism

The Central Role of Enzymes as Biological Catalysts