Metabolism is a term that describes biochemical processes that enable the body to repair damage, reproduce, grow, and respond to the environment. However, metabolic disorder is a condition that obstructs these processes.
For instance, it can affect how efficiently our cells produce energy or the ability of enzymes to break down food. Let’s discuss types of metabolic conditions and ways in which advanced treatments are changing the approach to metabolic disorders.
What is a metabolic disorder?
This term refers to ongoing biochemical processes that maintain the functioning of living organisms. There are two processes worth mentioning:
Catabolism: it produces energy by converting larger molecules into smaller ones. For example, when our body breaks down carbs into glucose.
Anabolism: this process consumes energy to build new cells, store energy, and maintain body tissue.
A metabolic disorder arises when irregular chemical reactions interfere with the body’s metabolism. This disruption can impact the body’s ability to break down complex molecules and convert them into energy.
Causes
Metabolism involves complex processes dealing with organs, tissues, and biochemicals, which means that something can go wrong at any moment and cause metabolic disorders. Some examples include:
Genetics: genes have the ability to affect metabolic processes in different ways. For instance, individuals with Gaucher’s condition have a genetic mutation that limits the production of glucocerebrosidase, an enzyme responsible for breaking down fat. Not being able to break down the fat, the body starts to build harmful fat.
Organ dysfunction: some organs involved in this process can fail to function properly. Diabetes happens when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to regulate blood glucose levels.
Mitochondrial dysfunction: these are small parts of the cells, and their main function is energy production. Mutations of cell DNA, mitochondria, or environmental triggers can affect how well mitochondria function and how much energy they produce.
Common metabolic disorders
According to the National Center for Advancing Translational Science, more than 500 metabolic disorders exist. Many of them include rare genetic disorders as well.
Diabetes
When a person is suffering from diabetes, their body is preventing them from properly regulating glucose levels with insulin. The American Diabetes Association claims that in 2018, more than 34 million Americans suffered from this condition. Common types include:
Type 1 diabetes: in this case, our immune system attacks cells in the pancreas by mistake and limits the production of insulin. People suffering from this condition are required to take medication to regulate their glucose levels.
Type 2 diabetes: in this case, our body cannot use insulin properly. Type 2 diabetes can develop at any age and may be caused by certain lifestyle factors, like poor diet.
Gestational diabetes: This type happens during pregnancy and usually goes away when a woman gives birth to the baby, but it can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.
Gaucher’s disease
This rare genetic disorder affects only 6000 people in the USA. As mentioned earlier, people suffering from Gaucher’s disease have limited production of glucocerebrosidase. If our body doesn’t produce enough of this enzyme, it will start accumulating lipids and fatty substances.
Lipids mostly accumulate around the liver or spleen, which causes them to increase in size and a wide range of problems. Most people with this condition experience bruises and tiredness.
Hemochromatosis
Hemochromatosis affects iron absorption and could be a result of a mutation in the HFE gene. This disease leads to iron buildup, causing symptoms like joint pain, sexual difficulties, weakness, darkening of skin, and stomach pain.
Treatment options
A wide range of treatments are available, depending on the cause. Many of the conditions are genetic or currently without a cure. This indicates that patients may require lifelong medications or lifestyle changes to manage their symptoms.
For example, people with type 1 diabetes require a daily insulin shot to manage their glucose levels. However, in the last couple of years, a new kid has been around the block. Different types of peptides appeared, such as Retatrutide, which claims to have healing effects on test subjects.
While you can buy Retatrutide and other supplements online, we always suggest you inform yourself before trying something that’s not authorized for human use. But it’s important to mention these peptides have a vast potential in managing different health conditions; we just require more research before administering them to humans.
