If you’ve spent any time scrolling through the health and wellness corners of social media, you’ve likely come across many products claiming to improve your metabolism. But what exactly is your metabolism?
Akin to how batteries work, mitochondria harness this electrical potential to create a different form of chemical energy that the rest of the cell can use. As illustrated by this simplified diagram of the human metabolome , your metabolic network is incredibly complex. J3D3/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SAwho studies the various networks of metabolism that are used as your body changes. My team and I have been able to define specific traits of metabolism, such as the presence and amount of certain metabolites – products made from breaking down macronutrients – across a wide range of conditions..
When comparing the lactate thresholds of a group of elite cyclists, we found that the cyclists with higher thresholds had markers of better mitochondrial function. One of these markers was, a molecule that shuttles carbon around cells and is important for breaking down carbs, amino acids and fat into chemical energy.Your metabolism also changes if you get an acute illness such as COVID-19.. The blood of these patients at rest is similar to that of an elite cyclist’s at exhaustion.