Metabolic disorders of the body, what is it? let's learn more

Have you ever wondered how your body can move? How can the food you eat be processed into the energy you normally use for activities? How can your body never lack energy? All that can happen because of something known in scientific language as metabolism. How important is the role of metabolism for your body, right? Then, what happens if you experience metabolic disorders?

What is metabolism?

Metabolism is a collection of chemical processes that occur in your body. This process begins with the body absorbing nutrients from the food you eat, then the nutrients are broken down with the help of digestive enzymes into simpler forms that are more acceptable to the body, until finally they can be circulated together with the blood as a source of energy for your daily activities. (catabolism).

However, not all of these nutrients are circulated throughout the body. Some of the substances produced from metabolic processes are stored for energy when it is needed. Others are used to maintain and develop cells. This part of the process is known as anabolism.

What is a metabolic disorder?

Metabolic disorders are conditions when metabolic processes do not occur as they should. The body instead produces excessive or deficient nutrients for the body.

Metabolic disorders can occur in various forms, such as:

Lack of enzymes or vitamins whose presence is needed for chemical reactions in the body
There is a chemical reaction that actually inhibits the metabolic process (abnormal)
Abnormalities in organs that are important in metabolic processes (such as liver, pancreas, endocrine glands, etc.) as well
Lack of nutrient levels in the body.

What causes metabolic disorders in the body?

Many factors can cause a disruption in metabolism. Disruption of the work process of a particular organ is one of them. This condition often occurs due to a lack of a hormone or enzyme, excessive consumption of certain foods, and heredity.

There are several metabolic disorders in the body that occur due to inherited gene mutations. This is supported by the National Institutes of Health which states that there are certain ethnic genes that can trigger inherited metabolic disorders, such as sickle cell anemia in African descent and cystic fibrosis in North European descent.

What are the types of metabolic disorders in the body?

Diabetes is one of the most common types of metabolic disorders, which consists of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes can lead to a lack of insulin levels in the body, which in turn triggers disorders of the kidneys, vision, heart and blood vessels.

Apart from diabetes, inherited metabolic disorders are the most common types of metabolic disorders, including:

1. Gaucher's disease. A condition in which the body is unable to break down certain types of fat until it collects in the liver, spleen, and spinal cord.

2. Glucose and galactose malabsorption. A condition in which there is an error in the transportation of glucose and galactose through the stomach wall which leads to diarrhea and severe dehydration. Symptoms that appear can be controlled by reducing the consumption of foods containing lactose, sucrose, and glucose.

3. Hereditary hemochromatosis. A condition in which the body stores excess iron in several organs and actually causes liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, diabetes and heart problems.

4. Maple syrup urine disease. This condition interferes with the metabolic process with the presence of certain amino acids which causes the rapid degeneration of neuron cells, and can cause infant death even in the first few months of life.

5. Phenylketonuria, which can cause the body's inability to produce enzymes, mental retardation, organ damage and unusual posture. This disorder can be treated by limiting the consumption of certain types of protein.

Metabolic disorders of the body are complex disorders but are still rarely discussed, so it still needs a lot of further research.