metabolize

Metabolize is the process by which a substance is chemically transformed by an organism into one or more forms that are more readily used, stored, or eliminated. Metabolism, the broader set of these chemical reactions, includes two linked types: catabolism, which breaks down molecules to release energy, and anabolism, which constructs complex molecules from simpler ones.

In humans and other animals, most metabolic work is carried out by enzymes, with the liver playing a central role in processing nutrients, drugs, and toxins. Metabolism often proceeds through phase I reactions that introduce or expose reactive groups (such as oxidation, reduction, or hydrolysis) followed by phase II reactions that attach polar groups to increase water solubility for excretion.

In pharmacology, how a substance is metabolized affects its duration and potency. Some compounds are activated by metabolism, others are inactivated; metabolites themselves can be active. Concepts such as first-pass metabolism and interindividual variation in enzyme activity influence drug response and safety.

Genetic differences, age, sex, disease, nutrition, and environmental factors such as smoking and alcohol consumption modify metabolic rate. The gut microbiome also metabolizes certain compounds before or after absorption, influencing host physiology and drug effects.

Metabolic processes are essential for energy production, detoxification, and the synthesis of macromolecules. Dysregulation or impairment of metabolism underlies many diseases, including metabolic syndromes, liver disease, and certain inborn errors of metabolism.