Metabolic disorder: symptoms, causes, treatment

Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions that keep a person alive. Our body receives all useful elements from the external environment, mainly from food and water. Metabolic disorders can negatively affect the condition of all organs and systems, and therefore require mandatory treatment.

There are metabolic disorders:

protein;
carbohydrate;
fat;
water;
mineral;
other substances (iron, iodine, etc.).

Causes of metabolic disorders

There are a large number of possible reasons, including:

improper, unbalanced diet;
physical inactivity;
hereditary predisposition;
physical, emotional stress;
eating disorders;
dehydration;
intoxication associated with work in hazardous industries and other reasons;
taking certain medications;
chemical dependencies;
diseases of the endocrine system.

In some cases, there is a combination of several unfavorable factors.

Factors affecting metabolic rate

Metabolism is a complex chain of sequential reactions that are regulated by hundreds of different components. However, the basis of regulation is:

Coordinated activity of the nervous and endocrine systems, which underlies the full control of metabolism (the hypothalamus - pituitary gland - endocrine glands system) (source - textbook “Biological Chemistry”, Berezov, Korovkin).
The amount of energy supplied from nutrients.
Type of nutrients (rate of their dissolution in the digestive system).
Meal frequency.
The presence of additional stimulation to energy expenditure.
Having healthy sleep.
The presence of a sufficient amount of regulatory secretions, hormones, vitamins and minerals.

Of these, the strongest regulation is food frequency, sleep, and direct stimulation. It is on these factors that the main acceleration of metabolism is based.

For example, in athletes, even before the start of competitions, physical activity, and in an ordinary person, before performing various types of activity, an acceleration of metabolism is recorded, oxygen consumption increases, and the release of carbon dioxide increases (source - textbook “Sports Biochemistry”, Mikhailov).

Signs of metabolic disorders

Symptoms of metabolic disorders vary. As a rule, the following signs indicate a possible illness:

deterioration of the condition of the skin, hair, nails;
weight fluctuations;
increased sweating;
change in complexion;
swelling;
sleep disturbance;
unsatisfactory condition of teeth;
pain in the back, neck, muscles, joints;
dyspeptic symptoms, stool upset, bloating, etc.;
chills or hot flashes;
skin rash;
breathing difficulties, etc.

Treatment of metabolic disorders requires mandatory additional examination and accurate diagnosis. This collective term refers to many diseases, each of them has its own causes and treatment tactics. If you find yourself experiencing similar symptoms, consult a general practitioner. You should not engage in self-diagnosis and self-medication.

The effect of sleep on metabolic rate

How else can you improve your metabolism? One way is to normalize your sleep patterns. Our body is not only a machine, but also a computer that periodically needs a reboot.

In particular, during wakefulness, waste products accumulate in the brain and muscles, which interfere with normal functioning and act as ballast.

In addition, the energy efficiency of consumed food is significantly reduced. All this is stress for the body, and it seeks to optimize its own resources to conserve energy. Naturally, that’s why people who don’t get enough sleep are always lethargic, and sometimes even have trouble thinking. In order to speed up your metabolism, use 2 tricks:

Regardless of when you go to bed, aim to normalize the amount of sleep you get on a 4-hour cycle. The optimal option is two 4-hour cycles at night (i.e. 8 hours of sleep).
It is recommended to consume casein protein before bed. Casein allows you to stimulate digestion at night, performing two functions simultaneously. Increases calorie consumption at night and supplies muscles with essential amino acids.

Do not try to replace sleep with caffeine and other energy drinks. Since after a sharp acceleration of life activity, a rollback occurs, which can last much longer, and the resulting stress will lead to a systematic and stable slowdown in metabolism. People who constantly drink coffee, if they do not drink a cup a day, their metabolism will not accelerate and, as a result, they will not be able to enter the work mode, which will affect their performance.

Diagnostic methods

During the initial appointment, the therapist will conduct a general examination, collect anamnesis and listen to complaints. Based on this information, the doctor will refer you for a comprehensive in-depth examination. Diagnostic methods that may be used include:

laboratory blood tests - general, biochemical, and, if necessary, more specialized tests;
Ultrasound of internal organs;
MRI, CT;
urine test.

Based on the results of the examination, if necessary, the patient is referred to specialists - an endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, gynecologist, etc.

Increasing fluid intake

As we have already written, increased fluid intake can help speed up metabolism several times.

The bottom line is that any incoming liquid has an intermediate state in our body.

It becomes part of the blood. Excessive fluid intake will help circulate blood throughout the body, which, in turn, will speed up metabolism. Well, and, of course, the removal of excess fluid stimulates the entire excretory system.

With increased fluid consumption, be extremely careful - try not to consume more than 4 liters of fluid and monitor your salt and mineral balance. Since in case of depletion of minerals in the blood, the body will enter a protective phase and begin to slow down metabolism instead of speeding it up.

Features of treatment

Treatment is always complex, since metabolic disorders affect the condition of the entire body and often occur against the background of chronic diseases. If the cause of the disease is congenital genetic changes, then therapy is required on an ongoing basis. In this case, it is important to regularly see a doctor so as not to worsen your condition. This way, the specialist will be able to evaluate the results of treatment and adjust it if necessary.

Acquired diseases are easier to completely cure if you consult a specialist at the initial stage.

Any therapy consists of a diagnostic search for the causes of the disease and their subsequent elimination. In addition, it is important to ensure the normal intake of vitamins, micro- or macroelements into the body through diet therapy and, if necessary, drug therapy. Any case of metabolic disorder requires correction of diet, water regime, and lifestyle.

A therapeutic diet is developed by a doctor based on a specific case and professional dietary recommendations. In most cases, you need to adhere to a balanced diet: follow a diet, give up alcohol, spicy foods, marinades, spices, fried and fatty foods. At the same time, you need to eat often, in small portions.

It is important to pay attention to your overall lifestyle. Many disorders in the body are triggered during periods of stress. Therefore, it is necessary, if possible, to eliminate it or learn stress tolerance skills. A psychologist or psychotherapist can help with this. Attention should be paid to physical activity, sleep and wakefulness.

If the metabolic disorder is minor and has recently appeared, general recommendations for recovery may be sufficient. However, most often, this applies to those cases when the disease is caused by external causes.

If the pathological process arose a long time ago and was provoked by genetic (congenital) factors, then comprehensive medical care is necessary. Thus, in case of diagnosed diabetes mellitus, drug therapy together with diet therapy and some physiotherapeutic techniques may be required, in case of ovarian diseases - hormonal therapy, in case of thyroid pathology - taking thyroid hormones or, conversely, thyrostatics, etc. In rare cases, surgical intervention may be necessary, for example, with detection of large thyroid nodules, complicated ovarian cysts or hyperprolactinemia associated with pituitary macroadenoma.

Direct acceleration with physical activity

The most effective way to speed up your metabolism is to directly influence metabolic processes. This is done by enhancing the processes of additional oxidation in the heart muscle (source - textbook “Sports Biochemistry”, Mikhailov). To do this, it is necessary to increase the rhythm of its contraction. It's very simple - the faster the heart beats, the more intense the body works. This always works.

Power loads

We are talking specifically about heavy basic exercises that women don’t like so much. However, they are necessary for one simple reason. Strength training is a powerful stimulant that leads to improved metabolism.

Physical activity depletes all glycogen. As a result, the body strives to replenish it (through nutrition or through adipose tissue).
This results in a large release of insulin after exercise, which opens up the tissue.
Next, after the carbohydrate window closes, a powerful inflammatory process begins.
Muscles that have received microtrauma begin to recover.
This in turn creates a powerful anabolic background.
When trying to combat inflammation and create a platform for super recovery, the body is greatly accelerated to return to normal as quickly as possible.
Together, this stimulates the production of the male hormone testosterone, which at the psycho-emotional level improves well-being and makes a person more energetic.
As a result, increased calorie consumption and acceleration of all processes in the body.

As you can see, hour-long strength training three times a week accelerates metabolism, and their effect lasts for several more days.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise deserves special mention. They use a heart rate level that opens fat stores even without insulin, allowing for a short period of maximum metabolic rate without major catabolic effects. In fact, at this time, the heart muscle is directly powered by fat cells.

An important point: you should not eat food closer than 40 minutes before aerobic exercise. Otherwise, insulin, which seals new energy into the fat depot, will not allow energy to be pulled out of it.

Lipid metabolism

Lipid metabolism disorders occur due to the pathology of their breakdown, absorption, storage and metabolism . It can occur under the following conditions:

pancreatitis, in which enzymes for breaking down fats are not produced;
liver diseases (hepatitis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis), in which the formation of bile, which helps absorb fats, is impaired;
damage to the small intestine and diarrhea;
hypovitaminosis A, B, C.

Manifestations of impaired fat metabolism:

hypovitaminosis of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) with the appropriate clinic;
deficiency of fatty acids, manifested by hair loss, skin inflammation, impaired fertility, in particular anovulation;
exhaustion or obesity.

Obesity leads to serious consequences:

shortness of breath,
increased pressure,
destruction of joints,
development of diabetes mellitus,
coronary heart disease.

Women are characterized by the “pear” type of obesity, when fat deposits are located on the lower torso, hips and buttocks. This is caused by hormonal differences between men and women. Obesity in the form of an “apple” most often indicates serious problems in the female body.

Pear-shaped obesity is more resistant to dieting, but it is safer for the body than apple-shaped abdominal obesity.

It should be noted that rapid weight loss is accompanied by significant changes in the nervous system, as a result of which a woman experiences depressed mood, depression, and loss of strength. In case of severe obesity, it can only be treated under the supervision of a doctor and preferably in a group of like-minded women.

The right nutrition plan to boost your metabolism

Editor's Note: We are not recommending a specific diet to boost your metabolism. This example is just one of many that will help accelerate your body.

If you are looking for a way to quickly lose weight, remember the following nutritional principles:

Creating a calorie deficit.
Reducing the amount of fast carbohydrates in the diet.
Increasing the number of meals.
Increased water consumption.
Physical exercise.
Caffeine.

An approximate nutrition plan would be carbohydrate cycling or the following approach:

Eating	Ingredients
Breakfast	1 cup of strong coffee + green salad. 3-4 boiled eggs. 100 grams of boiled cereal in terms of dry product.
Lunch	200-400 grams of fruit. Preferably apples or cherries.
Dinner	A bowl of tomato soup + 250 grams of boiled meat.
Afternoon snack	Sweet tea + fruit.
Dinner	Casein protein, possibly boiled meat.

You choose your portion sizes based on your daily calorie deficit.

Let's take a closer look:

The first meal speeds up the heart. Fiber and carbohydrates stimulate the release of the first insulin. In addition, complex carbohydrates take a long time to digest, which allows you to not feel hungry for a long time.
Additional insulin release. With a low calorie content of fruits, adipose tissue will be released from the depot, which will give an additional boost of energy.
Plenty of fluids with plenty of fiber and vitamin C. Allows for increased blood volume (which will result in the release of excess fluid). Plus protein to stimulate digestive enzymes.
Stimulation of insulin release.
Casein protein takes a very long time to be digested by the body. As a result, when you go to bed, your body will not slow down your metabolism too much in an attempt to break down low-fat cottage cheese, which will increase your nighttime caloric expenditure by 20-25%. Read more about losing weight with casein protein.

If acceleration of metabolism is needed to gain muscle mass, increase the amount of carbohydrates and protein in accordance with the correct nutrition plan.