What does the term metabolism refer to?

Metabolism refers to the chemical processes that occur within a living organism to maintain life, particularly the conversion of food into usable energy. This involves a complex series of biochemical reactions that break down nutrients from the food we ingest, allowing the body to use them for various functions such as growth, repair, and maintaining normal bodily functions. It encompasses both catabolic reactions, which break down molecules to extract energy, and anabolic reactions, which build up components like proteins and nucleic acids.

While the process of burning calories and storing energy are related to metabolism, they do not capture the full scope of what metabolism entails. Metabolism is fundamentally the overall biochemical process that regulates energy flow through living organisms, highlighting the importance of converting food into energy that can be used for various bodily functions. The rate of physical activity performed is also related to energy expenditure but is distinct from the metabolic processes themselves. Thus, focusing on the chemical transformation of food into energy captures the essence of metabolism accurately.