As you get into your 30s and 40s, your body requires fewer calories daily to maintain the same weight. People who struggle to lose excess weight, even in their 20s and 30s, may believe this is due to an undiagnosed metabolic issue. However, medical conditions causing unusually slow metabolism are quite rare, and difficulty losing weight is more often due to a lack of exercise or excess calorie intake.
About Metabolism
Metabolism is your body's process of converting food and drink into energy. Even while you are asleep, your body requires energy for processes including cell repair, blood circulation and breathing. Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, is the number of calories your body requires for these basic processes when you are resting. If you are physically active, more calories will be burned overall. In general, a larger or heavier person will have a higher BMR than a light or small person.
Effect of Age
As an adult, your daily energy requirements peak during your 20s, and slowly decline through your later life. For example, a somewhat active man weighing 150 pounds and standing 5 feet 6 inches tall requires 2,250 calories daily at the age of 18. By 28, the same man requires 2,200 calories to maintain the same weight at the same activity level. At the age of 38, the same man requires only 2,100 calories daily.
Effect of Muscle Mass and Weight
Weight and muscle mass play a part in determining your metabolic rate. Muscle tissue burns calories relatively quickly -- as you build muscle mass, your metabolic rate will increase. If you are of normal weight, or underweight, in your 20s and 30s, your metabolism will likely be slower than an overweight or obese person of the same age. Becoming more active and building more lean muscle tissue is one way to boost your metabolic rate at any age.
Metabolic Dysfunction
Certain medical conditions can affect your metabolism. Hypothyroidism is a relatively rare thyroid condition which can slow your metabolic rate, even in your 20s and 30s when basal metabolic rates are usually relatively high. Cushing's syndrome can also cause a slowing of your metabolism. These rare but serious conditions should be diagnosed by a doctor -- do not attempt self-diagnosis or treatment of metabolic conditions, and seek qualified medical advice.
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