Metabolism is the process in your body that utilizes chemical reactions to energize every physiological process. Metabolism is an ongoing process that even occurs while your body rests. During metabolism, your body converts nutrients from food into energy. Your hormones help to regulate the metabolism process by determining your energy needs. Several metabolic tests can measure and help your determine the best way for your body to use energy.
What Is Metabolic Testing?
A metabolic test evaluates your physiology based on the oxygen you consume and the carbon dioxide you produce at different metabolic rates. Your resting metabolic rate measures calories used to maintain your basic life functions such as your breathing and maintaining your circulatory system and your nervous system including your brain. According to "The Metabolic Profile Test," if you are a healthy individual, your body uses approximately 60 to 75 percent of your total energy for your basic life functions.
Exercise Metabolic Rate
The exercise metabolic rate measures how efficiently your body uses its fuel sources such as fats and sugars during exercise. This test also determines your aerobic base, the best zone for you to burn fat as fuel. The lactate threshold is a marker that determines what your body can sustain with maximum effort during intense exercise to continue burning sugars and fat. Once you pass this threshold, however, your body can no longer effectively use glucose as fuel.
VO2 Max and Lab Tests
The VO2 max test helps you to identify genetically determined factors and limitations. This test measures the maximum volume of oxygen that your body can use during strenuous whole body exercise measured as liters per minute of your body weight. Metabolic laboratory tests, on the other hand, examine your blood, urine and saliva to determine how your body uses and produces energy at the cellular level.
What Do You Learn From the Test?
Various types of metabolic testing can help you understand how your body uses the fuel you consume. Specifically, these tests will show you how your body uses fats, carbohydrates and proteins for its energy requirements. Additionally, metabolic testing can determine how the hormones inside of your body regulate your body functions and how efficiently the hormones regulate these functions.
References
- "The Metabolic Profile Test"; J.M. and S. Payne; 1987
- "The Ultimate Metabolism Diet: Eat Right for Your Metabolic Type"; Scott Rigden and Barbara Schlitz; 2008
- "The Metabolic Typing Diet: Customize Your Diet to Your Own Unique Body Chemistry"; William Linz Wolcott and Trish Fahey; 2002
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