metabólico

Metabólico refers to anything related to metabolism. Metabolism is the sum of all chemical processes that occur within a living organism to maintain life. These processes include breaking down nutrients from food to produce energy, building and repairing cellular components, and eliminating waste products.

The metabolic rate is the speed at which an organism converts food into energy. This rate is influenced by various factors, including age, sex, muscle mass, and activity level. When discussing metabolic disorders, it refers to conditions that disrupt normal metabolic processes. Examples include diabetes, where the body's ability to regulate blood sugar is impaired, and thyroid disorders, which affect the hormones that control metabolism.

Metabolic pathways are sequences of chemical reactions catalyzed by enzymes that transform a substrate into a product. These pathways can be catabolic, breaking down complex molecules into simpler ones to release energy, or anabolic, building complex molecules from simpler ones, requiring energy. Understanding metabolic processes is crucial in fields such as medicine, nutrition, and biochemistry for diagnosing and treating diseases, optimizing athletic performance, and developing new therapeutic strategies.