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Slow metabolism

Fast or slow metabolism: what does it depend on?

Basal metabolism, responsible for almost 70% of daily energy expenditure, is influenced by numerous factors. We list the fundamental ones:

  • Feeding: in fasting conditions the metabolism also slows down by 20%.
  • Lactation: in the nurse the basal metabolism increases by about 3-6%.
  • Physical activity: the metabolic rate remains high even at the end of the physical effort.
  • Climate: summer is the best time to lose weight because, when the mercury column exceeds 30 ° C, the metabolism increases slightly. Even too cold temperatures have the same effect.
  • Body composition: the muscle is a much more metabolically active tissue than fat. Each kg of muscle mass gained increases body metabolism by about 1.5%.
  • Body size: the basal metabolic rate, expressed in absolute terms, increases with increasing body surface area. For this reason tall, thin people have a faster metabolism than individuals of equal weight but of lower stature.
  • Age: the metabolism is maximum in childhood, remains high until the first adult age and begins to decrease after 30 years. Between the ages of 60 and 90 it drops by around 8% per decade.
  • Genetca : however, it must be admitted, some people are born with a slow metabolism, others with a faster metabolism;
  • Pregnancy: the basal metabolic rate remains stable in the first trimester, rises by about 8% in the 5th month and from 14 to 22% in the last two months of gestation.
  • Hormonal levels: many hormones intervene in the regulation of body metabolism. The most active in this sense are those produced by the thyroid. Excessive production of these hormones (hyperthyroidism) can even double basal metabolism, while a deficit (hypothyroidism, goiter) can slow it down significantly. Even adrenaline, secreted from the medullary part of the adrenal gland in response to important psychophysical stress, slightly raises the metabolic activity. Growth hormone and testosterone, by increasing protein synthesis, can significantly increase basal metabolism.
  • Sex: thanks to a greater muscle mass, in humans the basal metabolic rate is higher, by about 7%, compared to women. Castration lowers it by 20-25%.
  • Lifestyle: sedentary people have a slower metabolism than active ones; during sleep there is a decrease in the metabolic rate of between 6 and 13%.
  • Body temperature: in febrile states the basal metabolic rate increases by about 13% for each temperature degree above 37 ° C.

Basal metabolism

Minimum amount of energy needed by the body to carry out pure vegetative functions within 24 hours, in conditions of absolute psychic and physical rest, at room temperature (18-24 ° C) and fasting rigorously for 12 hours.

The daily caloric requirement depends on three different components:

  • basal metabolic rate (MB O MBR from: "basal metabolic rate")
  • TID: food-induced thermogenesis (also called dynamic-specific action of foods)
  • Physical activity

The percentage contribution of these components is shown in the image to the side.

You can calculate your caloric needs in a few moments by clicking here.

Do you think you have slow metabolism?

The most frequent apology: I am fat because I have a slow metabolism. In reality, if we analyze the above factors point by point, we realize that this statement has little credibility. Excluding hormonal dysfunctions, with the same sex and muscle mass, individual metabolism changes are indeed limited. This does not mean that fat people generally have a slower metabolism than thin ones. To get out of this situation one must first realize that slow metabolism is a consequence of being overweight and not the cause.

Whenever you are on a strict diet, the metabolism slows down, making the diet more and more restrictive, ineffective and difficult to bear. After a short time the diet will no longer have any effect, leaving the subject in the grip of hunger and despair. It will thus be sufficient only one, inevitable, binge to ruin all the sacrifices made up to that point. Little by little the sgarri will increase, the diet will be definitively abandoned and our poor individual will regain all the lost pounds, with a lot of interests, because his metabolism has become slower. And so, between a diet of minestrone and one of fruit, passing by creamy teas, herbal teas and diet pills, the nightmare of the overweight will continue to grip our mister X. Blame the low metabolism ?!

A hungry fox saw bunches of grapes hanging from a pergola, and tried to grab them. But he was not able to. "Unripe rubbish!" he then said to himself and left. Thus, even among men, there are those who, by failing to achieve their intent, fail to blame the circumstances.

(Aesop, XXXII; Fedro, IV, 3.)

Increase a slow metabolism

We have prepared a long article to help you improve your metabolism; we are convinced that if you read it carefully, putting into practice the written advice, you will be able to give an extra boost to your slow metabolism.

Accelerate your metabolism with training