What is metabolism?

First, let us look at what metabolism is and what it affects.

Put as simply as possible, metabolism is the set of chemical reactions in the body’s cells that turn food into energy. Our body needs this energy for everything it does – from movement to thinking and growth.

Metabolic rate – what it depends on

Body size, sex and genes all play a role in how fast your metabolism is.

Muscle cells need more energy to sustain themselves than fat cells. This is why people with more muscle than fat tend to have a faster metabolism.

In general, men have a faster metabolism because they have more muscle mass, heavier bones and, genetically, less fat tissue than women.

The influence of genes on metabolism is not yet fully understood. What is known is that genes certainly play a role in muscle size and the body’s ability to build muscle – and both of these factors affect metabolism.

Age, on the other hand, contrary to popular belief, has very little effect on metabolism. Recent research has shown that metabolism peaks at around the age of 1, when infants burn calories 50% faster than adults, and then gradually declines by around 3% a year until about the age of 20. From then on, metabolism plateaus, remaining practically unchanged until about 60, when it begins to decline slowly again – but only very slightly, by less than 1% a year. These findings were published in the journal Science.

What metabolic rate affects. Is excess weight the result of a slow metabolism?

People who struggle to lose weight often blame a slow metabolism. There is, however, little evidence to support this claim.

Research actually shows that people who are overweight have a faster metabolism than leaner people. Larger bodies need more energy to perform basic bodily functions.

It is important to distinguish the complex concept of metabolism, which covers the healthy maintenance of all the body’s basic functions, from simply burning calories. Everything works in a far more complex way.

A fast metabolism helps the body perform its functions better, helps cells renew themselves and helps us feel better overall.

So understanding how to improve your metabolism takes more than a focus on losing fat and gaining muscle.

How to support your metabolism: tips for improving it

  • Exercise

Sport burns calories and helps build muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism, because muscle is a very active tissue that demands a lot of energy from your body.

Unless you are a professional powerlifter, however, the metabolic boost from sport will be fairly small. Exercise is one part of improving your metabolism – an important part, though not the main one.

  • A healthy diet

A healthy, balanced diet that gives your body the micronutrients it needs can improve your metabolism even more than sport. The key is a balanced diet – as opposed to erratic diets in which you burn calories relentlessly with no thought for what will happen once the diet ends.

After gaining weight, your body feels at home at its new size. When you start losing weight, your body begins to adapt because it senses that things are changing at home. These adaptations show up as changes in hormones, which make you feel hungry and make it harder to keep the weight off.

Another irony is that as you lose weight, you genuinely need fewer calories to maintain your new figure. This is where metabolism comes into play. Because your body is smaller, your metabolism adjusts to the new size. You find yourself both hungry and needing less food to sustain your body’s processes at the same time. What is more, eating poorly while trying to lose weight can cost you some muscle, which affects metabolism.

Extreme diets also raise the risk of heart disease.

So if you want to improve your metabolism through diet the right way, consult a nutritionist who will draw up an individual nutrition plan for you.

Some of Western Europe’s best nutritionists, who design metabolism-boosting nutrition programmes for celebrities, work in Switzerland.

Swiss clinics offer a range of nutrition programmes based on each patient’s individual indications and characteristics. Above all, they help improve metabolism and achieve a lasting metabolic balance.

  • A regular sleep routine and proper rest

Sleep plays an invaluable role in maintaining a good metabolism. Aim for 7 to 9 hours every night. If you have trouble sleeping, try building healthy bedtime habits. Avoid caffeine after midday and create a relaxing ritual before bed: read a book, watch an ASMR video or meditate. Above all, resist the urge to scroll through your email or social media in the hour before bed. Be careful with alcohol before bed, too, as it interferes with restorative sleep.

When illness is the cause of metabolic problems: treatment in Switzerland. How to restore a healthy metabolism in diabetes

Switzerland has long studied and successfully treated metabolic disorders. The effectiveness of treatment for metabolic disorders at Swiss clinics is many times higher than in other countries.

The most widely discussed treatment is beta-cell transplantation, used most often for people with diabetes. Thanks to new technologies and the expertise of specialists, metabolic disorders in diabetes can be resolved. The patient receives new beta cells, and the body resumes producing insulin.

In most cases, lifestyle changes help improve metabolism – the key to health really does lie in our own hands.

If, however, you feel you may have a problem that does not respond to lifestyle changes, be sure to see a doctor.