Metabolism is the breakdown of compounds into usable fuel for your cells.For example, starch in the food you eat is broken down into glucose, to provide fuel for your tissues and your brain. The energy your cells use to perform day to day functions is known as your basal metabolism, a measurement, in calories, of the energy your body burns each day. The ingestion of foods and supplements, as well as chemicals generated within your body, all contribute to your metabolism. Ingesting chemicals and supplements can help increase your body's metabolism, ensuring you absorb nutrients from the food you eat, and boosting your calorie burn each day.
B-family Vitamins
One group of chemicals that can increase metabolism are B-family vitamins, which includes vitamins B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-9 and B-12. The University of Maryland Medical Center explains that B-family vitamins support your body's metabolism, helping to turn ingested carbohydrates into usable fuel for your cells. In addition, B vitamins aid in the breakdown of dietary fat, as well as the metabolism of proteins, providing the building blocks for your cells to make human proteins. Deficiencies in B vitamins can disrupt your body's metabolism, hindering your body's ability to turn the food you eat into usable fuel. Eating a diet that contains a range of vegetables, fruits, lean meats, nuts and legumes helps ensure you ingest adequate levels of B-family vitamins, to increase the metabolism of the foods you eat.
Green Tea Polyphenols
Another family of chemicals that can boost your body's metabolism are polyphenols, found in high concentrations in green tea. Polyphenols are potent antioxidants that are able to react with harmful chemicals called free radicals and neutralize their action. By decreasing free radical activity, polyphenols help protect your cells from damage at a molecular level, allowing your cells and tissues to work efficiently. The University of Maryland Medical Center indicates that green tea polyphenols, in combination with green tea, can increase the body's metabolism, supporting weight loss and fat burning in overweight patients. While drinking green tea is generally safe, always consult with a physician before taking green tea supplements or beginning a weight loss journey.
Thyroid Hormones
In some cases, chemicals produced in your body can boost your metabolism. Such is the case with thyroid hormones, a family of hormones, called T3 and T4, secreted by a small endocrine gland in your neck, the thyroid gland. The University of Kansas explains that proper secretion of both T3 and T4 help ensure your body efficiently burns calories throughout the day, and dysfunction of the thyroid gland can lead to metabolic defects. Hyperthyroidism, the overproduction of thyroid hormones, can lead to a very high metabolism, while underproduction of the hormones can slow your metabolism. If you suffer from a very low metabolism, consult with a physician to check your thyroid hormone levels, as treating low thyroid hormone production may boost your metabolism.
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