Metabolism is more complex and is involved in the process of building energy stores or breaking energy stores. You burn more calories at rest when your metabolic rate is high. 

This blog will help you understand your metabolism and ways you can boost it. 
 

What is metabolism? 

All of the chemical reactions that occur in your body provide energy for all the important processes and synthesising. Your metabolism never stops, even at rest. 

It keeps providing energy constantly for basic body functions like breathing, circulating blood through the body, digesting the food you eat, for the repair and growth of new cells, managing the levels of hormones and regulating the body temperature. 

What is basal metabolic rate?

Basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories that a body requires for basic functions at rest. Your basal metabolic rate helps you lose, gain or maintain weight. BMR is also influenced by the level of physical activities, gender, age, medical conditions, metabolism and gut microbiome.  

Metabolism is influenced by

• Resting metabolic rate (RMR) – it is the minimum amount of calories that is burned during resting or asleep.
• Thermic effect of food (TEF) –  the amount of calories burned through digestion and absorption of food. 10% of the daily calories burned is TEF. 
• Physical activity – The amount of calories burned during exercise. 
• Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) – This accounts for the amount of calories you burn through doing things like washing dishes, fidgeting and other household chores. 
  
  

What is fast metabolism and slow metabolism?

The speed of a person’s basal metabolic rate determines if it is a fast or a slow metabolism. 

Fast metabolism refers to people being able to burn more calories faster at rest. It does not necessarily mean the person’s body is thin, it means more energy is needed for their body to function properly. People with faster metabolism require high-calorie intake to maintain their weight. The bone and body frame are smaller compared to people with slower metabolism. 

A person is said to have a slow metabolism when the resting metabolic rate requires fewer calories to function. People who have slow metabolism tend to have difficulty losing weight and require high-intensity exercise. 

Factors affecting metabolism 

• Age 
• Gender 
• Diet 
• Exercise 
• Sleep 
• Thyroid hormone 
• Any illness or injury 
  
  

Metabolism regulators 

Your metabolism is regulated by hormones that your body produces. These hormones are involved in many chemical reactions in the body, One main hormone largely responsible for regulating metabolism is the Thyroid hormone. 

When the thyroid hormones are produced excessively your basal metabolic rate is increased, which causes the burning of more calories which leads to weight loss. The protein, carbohydrates and fats are broken down to produce more energy. In people with reduced thyroid hormone levels, the effect is opposite and has a lower metabolism. 

Signs of slow metabolism 

• Difficulty in losing weight 
• Bloating and gas discomfort 
• Hormone imbalance 
• Unstable blood sugar levels 
  
  

Risk factors of slowing metabolism 

• Genetics 
• Irregular sleep pattern 
• Following diets
• Not drinking enough water
• Drinking too much caffeine 
• Improper meal timing 
• Consuming too many medications 
• Consuming too much added sugar and processed food
• Chronic stress
• Consuming high-fat diet 
  
  

Metabolism and ageing

According to some studies, it is found that metabolism declines with age. The metabolism is at its peak in the early stages of life and decreases with ageing. In a participation study, it was found that BMR and TEE began to decline at the age of 60 years. 

The processes of ageing are directly linked to metabolism, and many age-related changes in body composition, such as sarcopenia and increasing central adiposity, have their foundations in these basic processes. A sedentary lifestyle contributes to these age-related changes, which can be mostly avoided by continuing to remain active as one ages.

Metabolism improves with muscle mass, as people age they tend to lose muscle mass due to not being physically active, changes in the diet and decreased production of hormones. Ageing reduces the efficiency of cellular components such as sodium-potassium pumps and mitochondria. The effect on metabolism is still less when compared to muscle loss and activity. 

Metabolism and dieting 

Your metabolism slows down with dieting. If you have been dieting for many months or years you are likely to have a slow metabolism. In order to lose weight people often tend to follow crazy diets. 

The purpose of energy storage is to prepare your body for times of hunger or starvation. Putting on weight is a survival tactic. In dieting, you tend to eat fewer calories, when the body is not getting enough calories from the food, it starts to deplete the stored energy.  However, the body intentionally slows the metabolism to reserve the fat stores. 

The weight loss is stagnated when the body senses the fat stores are depleted. The resting metabolic rate is further reduced with the trigger of adaptive thermogenesis. 

One factor responsible for damaging your metabolism’s set point is insulin. It makes it impossible to lose weight and the set point for weight loss is dropped as it promotes fat storage. Years of consumption of food high in sugar and carbohydrate triggers insulin and your body becomes resistant to it. More insulin is produced in the body to compensate.

Metabolism and weight loss  

Your body is made to preserve extra energy in fat cells, regardless of how quickly or slowly you burn it off. You will therefore gain weight if your body uses more calories from food and drink than it does. You will lose weight if you consume fewer calories through food and drink than you burn off during regular activities (such as exercise, rest, and sleep). 

Your bodies are programmed to recognize a shortage of food as famine. Our BMR slows down as a result, burning fewer calories over time. That’s one of the reasons it’s usually hard to lose weight. 

The most amazing part of it all is how little our weight fluctuates on a daily basis. In reality, even a small daily excess of calories can result in noticeable weight gain over a year. 

For instance, consuming one additional apple every day might result in a weight gain of about 4 kg in a year! In the same way, cutting calories even a little bit each day can result in significant weight loss. 

How to boost your slow metabolism?

• Regularise your meal timing – Meal timing-based dietary strategies have the potential to regulate human circadian rhythms and clock-controlled metabolic processes. Timed nutrition techniques may be used to promote metabolic health and restore disrupted circadian rhythms in elderly adults.
  
  Studies show that in the morning hunger is lowest in the morning and it peaks in the evening, the satiety level also tends to be lowest. This strong rhythmicity in appetite ratings is unaffected by the amount of time elapsed since waking, the distance between meals, or the energy content of meals.
  
  The idea that peripheral rhythms are closely matched to the exact time of feeding each day is supported by the observation that even a brief delay in habitual meal timing can change the Per2 phase in fat tissue, which causes phase shifts in hormones and systemic metabolites, but it doesn’t change the temporal pattern of cortisol or melatonin, two reliable indicators of the central clock. 
  
  In order to avoid experiencing sharp fluctuations in hunger and fullness, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests that individuals have frequent meals and snacks throughout the day.
  
  
• Get enough calories – A person’s metabolism slows down with the consumption of fewer calories for the body to store energy. Consume the recommended calories per day. Choose nutrient-dense food to get the calories and the right nutrients.
  
  
• Consume more protein – Protein promotes thermogenesis (burning of calories in the body) than carbohydrates or fat. Protein also helps repair and regrowth of tissues. It can boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories. It also reduces insulin resistance and alters blood glucose levels. 
  
  
• Practise high-intensity workouts – Rapid, extremely intense bursts of activity are a component of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Your metabolism may be indirectly accelerated by this kind of exercise if it’s safe for you to engage in. You can burn fat and gain muscle by allowing your muscle cells to burn energy while they are at rest. Start with an activity that you are already familiar with, like riding a bike or running.
  
  
• Heavy lifting – Muscle has a higher metabolic activity, compared to fat. Gaining muscle can speed up your metabolism and help you burn more calories every day, even when you’re not exercising. Additionally, lifting weights can prevent the decrease in metabolism that can come with losing weight and help you maintain muscle.
  
  
• Stand up for metabolism – Long periods of sitting burn fewer calories and can induce weight gain, which is one reason why sitting too much might be bad for your health.
  
  Standing or stepping at work was linked to reduced waist circumference, weight, body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting triglycerides, total/HDL cholesterol, and insulin, according to a study.
  
  If your job is a desk, consider taking brief walks or standing ups to break up the amount of time you spend seated. You can also purchase a standing desk or take daytime walks. Researchers found that doing this led to lower blood sugar and insulin levels in a 2020 study.
  
  
• Drink enough water  – The body needs to stay hydrated in order to perform at its peak. Water may aid in weight loss and is essential for a healthy metabolism. Researchers measured the metabolic rates of thirteen subjects in 2016 who drank 250 or 500 millilitres (mL) of water. They came to the conclusion that drinking water may have an impact on metabolism after finding evidence of increased fat oxidation after 500 mL when a person is at rest. They did not discover that it raised metabolic rate, though.
  
  
• Get enough sleep – Sleep is an essential part of life. It regulates metabolism, hunger and appetite. A cross-sectional study reveals that the neuroendocrine system can be affected due to insufficient sleep or sleep disorders which affects the overall metabolism. An  8-9 hours of sleep is recommended. 

Can you boost your metabolic rate without exercise?

You can burn calories without exercising. You can make few changes to your daily routine: 

• You staircase any place you go instead of lift or elevator. 
• Walk to nearby places instead of using a vehicle to reach your destination. 
• Have regular breaks and take small walks around the office if you are sitting at your desk for a long time. 
• Practise brisk walking. 
  
  

High-Intensity Electromagnetic Muscle Training Technology 

A new High-intensity electromagnetic muscle training technology (HI-EMT) available in the market can stimulate your muscle growth and reduce your fat accumulation. The technology stimulates muscle contractions much more intensely than natural exercise. HI-EMT induces muscle hypertrophy and causes microtrauma to the muscle fibres, this makes the muscle more strong and defined. Fat is broken down by the HI-EMT which causes microtrauma to muscle fibres. These broken down fat releases free fatty acids, which are used as energy by the body. This treatment can be used on people who are immobile to exercise or do any activity. 

This treatment can be done to biceps, triceps, buttocks, abdomen, legs, and pelvic floor. Has no downtime but some might feel temporary redness or numbness, muscle soreness, burning sensation and bruising. HI-EMT improves metabolism by increasing muscle mass and reducing fat. 

Foods to boost your metabolism 

• Protein rich food like eggs, chicken, fish, paneer, and tofu. It helps with increasing your metabolism as it requires more energy to digest it. 
• Mineral rich foods like meat, seafood, legumes, are important as they are rich in iron and selenium. These minerals are required for thyroid function. 
• Compound capsaicin found in chilli peppers help in boosting metabolism by increasing the rate at which the calories burn. It also has appetite-reducing properties.  
• Coffee contains caffeine, a substance that raises metabolic rate. The effect may vary. 
• Tea like matcha green tea and oolong increases oxidation of fat more efficiently for energy. The compound catechins found in teas boost metabolic rate. 
• Ginger is beneficial for boosting metabolism, weight management and obesity prevention.
  
  
  Kripa N
  Senior Clinical Dietitian, Simplyweight