Metabolism is a series of processes that control how your body creates and uses energy. It converts food and drinks into energy in your body, which you can use both when you’re active and when you’re resting. You need it for many basic functions, such as breathing and growing. Your metabolism uses calories and oxygen to make and release energy in the form the cells in all your organs and tissues can use. Metabolism is a complex health process, which is why our Board Certified Physician in Metabolism, Dr. Enas Al Zaghal is a great resource for helping you understand your metabolism and how it can affect your health.
What Are Metabolic Disorders?
A metabolic disorder is a condition that gets in the way of one or more chemical reactions that are part of normal metabolism. You can have many different types of metabolic disorders. Most of them are rare. Some examples include:
- Phenylketonuria (PKU). In this condition, your body can’t break down an amino acid called phenylalanine.
- Galactosemia. If you have this condition, you can’t break down a sugar called galactose because of a problem with the enzymes you need to do it.
- Prader-Willi syndrome. Kids with this condition want to eat all the time and never feel like they’re full. Doctors don’t know exactly why this happens.
What is metabolic syndrome?
You may also have heard of something called metabolic syndrome. This isn’t a specific condition. It’s a group of things that can happen when your metabolism or lifestyle isn’t healthy including:
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- Too much fat around your waist or in your belly
- High cholesterol
- High triglycerides
