Our body is an amazing system that can maintain stable connections with the environment. This is accomplished through metabolism or, as it is also called, metabolism. The metabolism itself is divided into two components: catabolism (energy metabolism) and anabolism (plastic metabolism). Many people confuse these concepts. But they are fundamentally different. Let's figure out what is catabolism.
Differences of catabolism from anabolism
These processes are opposite in nature. Anabolism is the process of synthesizing more complex substances from simple ones. What is catabolism? This is the reverse process. An example of anabolism is a set of muscle mass. And as an example for catabolism, a number of important reactions for the human body can be cited.
For example, many people like potatoes, right? One of the main substances in it, creating a pleasant taste, is starch. This substance is a polysaccharide. This means that it is a very complex carbohydrate in nature. Accordingly, it consists of many other carbohydrates, and it can be decomposed into less complex substances. At the very end, starch is decomposed by the body into glucose. This is catabolism.
Alcohol catabolism
A second example of catabolism is the decomposition of alcohol to acetic acid. This process is carried out in two steps using two enzymes. The first is alcohol dehydrogenase. This enzyme is responsible for the catabolism of ethanol to acetaldehyde. This substance is toxic, so it can not stay in the body for a long time. It is this that causes the hangover. But that's not the point.
The second stage of ethyl alcohol catabolism is the breakdown of acetaldehyde by the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase to acetic acid, which is excreted from the body. There are a number of other examples of catabolism. For example, fats can be broken down to glycerol and fatty acids, and proteins to amino acids. For bodybuilders, the latter type of catabolism is quite unpleasant, since it does not allow you to gain muscle mass.
Science catabolism
Catabolism is designed so that the body can receive energy. In fact, any substances that are processed by our body are a source of ATP - adenosine triphosphate. These are special molecules designed to accumulate, that is, the accumulation of energy in the body. The amount of this substance is quite limited. Therefore, he needs to constantly replenish. And this can be done in only one way - through catabolism. The process takes place in several stages. Let us consider in more detail all the stages of catabolism.
First stage
The first stage of catabolism is the breakdown of substances obtained from food using special enzymes. For some substances, hormones can play the role of an enzyme. For example, sugar breaks down the insulin produced by the pancreas. In this case, only heat generation is characteristic of this stage. It does not disappear without a trace.
In particular, it is used to maintain a normal level of vital activity of the body. And we feel this process as maintaining a certain body temperature. Moreover, this circle is quite interesting. After all, catabolism can be carried out only in the presence of a certain temperature. Heat is a natural catalyst for any chemical processes in the body or in the environment. The process of splitting vital substances is quite complicated, so you can not do without the second stage.
Second phase
The second step is called glycolysis. At this stage, glucose is cleaved. This process is carried out in the cytoplasm of the cell. As a result of the second stage, 40% is stored in the form of ATP, and the rest of the resulting energy is used in the form of heat. In general, thermoregulation in our body, as we see, is very expensive for him. Significantly more than half of all the energy received is spent precisely on maintaining normal body temperature. This stage occurs without the participation of oxygen.
The third stage is oxygen
This stage of catabolism occurs with the direct participation of oxygen. It is carried out in the mitochondria, which are our natural batteries. These elements of our body are very small, they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Moreover, these batteries are available in every cell capable of metabolism. And it is in them that ATP accumulates. And the third stage is completely tied to the synthesis of adenosine triphosphoric acid.
The general path of catabolism
The general path of catabolism can be called a combination of such processes:
- Oxidation of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA. This process occurs under the influence of enzymes forming a complex under the interesting name "Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex". But these are the details that are not particularly important to the average person.
- Next is the oxidation of acetyl-Coa. This is due to the so-called tricarboxylic acid cycle. It is also called the Krebs cycle. This process is the key for cellular respiration. Not all, of course, but only those that use oxygen. It is thanks to the Krebs cycle that it is subsequently formed to form ATP in the process of anabolism (synthesis), which is the main source of energy in the cell.
- After this, energy is released, its accumulation (accumulation) occurs. This is due to the dehydrogenation of metabolites, which were obtained during the previous two processes of catabolism. Dehydrogenation itself occurs in the mitochondrial electron transfer chains.
These processes of catabolism are very important for humans. Without them, it would be impossible to exist, since the catabolism of ATP releases energy, which is subsequently used as a universal tool absorbed by our organs.
Amino Acid Catabolism
Yes, proteins break down in our bodies into amino acids. But not only this happens in our body. Among other things, amino acids are also direct participants in catabolism. The process itself is very complex, so only basic information is provided that will not be difficult enough for readers. It is amino acids that are the main means by which proteins are built.
There is not a single part of the body that does not need protein. However, some of them can be harmful. Diseases that arise due to the appearance of abnormal proteins in the body are called prion diseases. And, interestingly, they can be infected in one moment.
conclusions
We figured out what catabolism is and why our body needs it. The reason is very simple. Even the most necessary substances in our body sometimes turn out to be superfluous. Moreover, we cannot do without these substances. Catabolism allows not only to get energy, but also to eliminate the excess of what our body needs. Just something that is too much is also bad. And this fact must be taken into account.
It is important to understand what catabolism is not only for general education, but also, for example, for burning excess weight. But at the same time, one must be extremely careful, since catabolism can burn muscle mass in addition to fat. He doesn’t care what gets under the gun.