Nutrition and metabolism is a broad field and we welcome submissions from all areas of nutrition and related biochemistry. Three areas of particular interest are lipoprotein metabolism, amino acids as metabolic signals, and the effect of macronutrient composition of diet on health.
Metabolism is the chemical process your body uses to transform the food you eat into the fuel that keeps you alive.
Nutrition (food) consists of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. These substances are broken down by enzymes in your digestive system, and then carried to the cells where they can be used as fuel. Your body either uses these substances immediately, or stores them in the liver, body fat, and muscle tissues for later use.
What is a metabolic disorder?
A metabolic disorder occurs when the metabolism process fails and causes the body to have either too much or too little of the essential substances needed to stay healthy.
Our bodies are very sensitive to errors in metabolism. The body must have amino acids and many types of proteins to perform all of its functions. For example, the brain needs calcium, potassium, and sodium to generate electrical impulses, and lipids (fats and oils) to maintain a healthy nervous system.
Metabolic disorders can take many forms. This includes:
a missing enzyme or vitamin that’s necessary for an important chemical reaction
abnormal chemical reactions that hinder metabolic processes
a disease in the liver, pancreas, endocrine glands, or other organs involved in metabolism
nutritional deficiencies
You can develop a metabolic disorder if certain organs — for instance, the pancreas or the liver — stop functioning properly. These kinds of disorders can be a result of genetics, a deficiency in a certain hormone or enzyme, consuming too much of certain foods, or a number of other factors.
There are hundreds of genetic metabolic disorders caused by mutations of single genes. These mutations can be passed down through generations of families. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)Trusted Source, certain racial or ethnic groups are more likely to pass on mutated genes for particular inborn disorders. The most common of these are:
