Metabolism
Your Metabolism
Our body is a wonder of nature with one key source of vitality, our metabolism. Our metabolism affects the function of our whole body and can have an impact on how we are feeling.
Metabolism refers to the huge variety of biochemical reactions that take place in a living organism, by which substances are produced (anabolism) or degraded (catabolism). All living forms depend on hundreds of simultaneous metabolic reactions to enable them to survive throughout their lifespan.
Put simply,there are many different levels on which metabolism takes place; in cells, organs or in the whole body. At any given time, numerous metabolic actions may be occurring within the body.
There are three metabolisms important for good health and wellbeing.
- Your Digestion Metabolism – A key to digestive comfort
- Your Energy Metabolism - A key source of vitality
- Your Immune Metabolism - Your immune defence support
Energy Metabolism
When nutrients are used by the body for energy, this is called the energy metabolism. Each cell in the body has to produce energy for its own processes. Your lifestyle choices may affect your body’s energy metabolism, which in turn may affect how you feel.
It is the metabolic pathway that converts sugars to carbon dioxide and water, thereby producing energy. The energy produced is then stored in a molecule, which is rich in energy. When energy is needed by the body it is then released from the molecule.
Without the nutrients needed for energy this process does not work as effectively.
*Taking food supplements is not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet or a healthy lifestyle.
Immune Metabolism
The immune metabolism is the process by which your immune system protects the body. Your immune system plays an important role in keeping you feeling healthy and well.
The human body is very complex and very clever, particularly the immune system, which adapts over time to recognise specific pathogens more efficiently. This process is referred to as the ‘adaptive immunity’ or ‘acquired immunity’ and creates immunological memory. Immunological response created from the first contact and response to a specific pathogen (so called immunological memory), provides then an enhanced response to secondary encounters with that same, specific pathogen.
Probiotics may help to strengthen immune defences.
Digestive Metabolism
Bion® invests in research regarding the effect of probiotics on the digestive system.
The function of the digestive system is to transform food into small nutrients that can easily be absorbed by the body. The process of transforming food into nutrients is known as the digestive metabolism. If the digestive metabolism is not operating as it should be and breaking food down into nutrients then this can have an effect on the whole body, its functioning and therefore on overall wellbeing.
In human beings the intestinal microflora contains about 100,000 billion bacteria belonging to 400 different species. This microflora plays an important role in the digestive metabolism and can be stimulated by micro-organisms such as probiotics. The process of the substances being broken down by the intestinal microflora is important because the nutrients are then used by the body for energy and immune support.
