Medicine & Health
What is Metabolism?
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions in your body that turn food into energy and building blocks for cells. It powers everything from breathing to thinking, even at rest.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains metabolism.
Key things to understand
- 1It breaks down food (catabolism) to release energy and builds molecules (anabolism).
- 2Your basal metabolic rate is the energy you burn just staying alive.
- 3It's regulated by hormones and influenced by muscle, age, and activity.
- 4The energy currency cells use is ATP.
Frequently asked questions
- What does metabolism do?
- It converts the food you eat into energy and the materials your body needs to grow and repair.
- What is basal metabolic rate?
- The number of calories your body burns at complete rest to keep basic functions running.
- Can you speed up your metabolism?
- Building muscle and staying active raise energy use, but most variation is set by body size, age, and genetics.