The human body can be imagined as a complex machine with numerous units functioning efficiently to make it a whole. Sure, there are multiple systems within the body with each organ having distinct functions of its own. However, it is vital to understand the process of metabolism to ensure the perfect working of the body too. Apart from going through the notes on metabolism, the intricate connections with different aspects can be obtained from diverse sources of information too. The most informative Metabolism Book is a set of two volumes titled simply as “Metabolism and Medicine.” Authored by Dr. Brian Fertig, this book set provides useful insight into the process of metabolism and what it entails.
It would not do to pick up the book and try to go through the pages. It is important to understand the implications perfectly to understand how it can help students, doctors, clinicians, and even interested individuals.
What is Metabolism?
It is indeed interesting to note that there are multiple different types of chemical reactions taking place every second within the body. The outcome of such processes enables the human body to function properly. It suffices to know that all such reactions have been termed together as metabolism. You would be further intrigued to know that the quantity of calories that the body burns at any given time is dependent on metabolism. Rapid burning of calories increases the metabolic rate and allows the individual to be energized enough to perform as needed. The rate of metabolism depends on several factors including age, health condition, genetics, and muscle-to-fat ratio.
Laws of Thermodynamics
When the body is considered to be a machine, the laws of physics come to play here. The first and second laws of thermodynamics can be studied in a biological context to understand the full implication of metabolism. The crux of this principle is that energy is required by individual cells of the living organism to survive. Each cell receives energy and uses it to perform an important function. A detailed study of the second law of thermodynamics reveals that not all the available energy can be utilized by organisms. Instead, a good amount is lost during the metabolism. The unavailability of the required energy is termed entropy which increases with time as the energy gets lost in the surroundings or is transformed into another type of energy.
Metabolism and Fitness
You may be able to boost your metabolic rate by improving your physical fitness. While aging does reduce the metabolic rate to an extent, it is important to be physically active so that the body can convert the food into energy rapidly and help you to remain fit and healthy with no adverse effects being noted. Feeling tired and listless is common with age. However, it is even more important to exercise as you get older. Muscle loss can be reduced significantly, boosting the metabolic rate when you work out regularly.
Check out the available metabolism book by Dr. Brian Fertig to understand this all-important process of the body without having to refer to complex science books too frequently.