Metabolic Health and Why It Matters
Metabolism is the foundation of our health and it encompasses the trillions of chemical reactions occurring in every cell of your body every day.
What Does Your Metabolism Do?
Metabolism serves three critical purposes to keep you alive and healthy:
- Energy Production: Breaking down food and drink you consume to provide the energy needed to power all the processes within your cells.
- Building and Repair: Converting nutrients from food and drink into the building blocks required to maintain your body, support growth and fight disease.
- Waste Elimination: Removing the non-useful or toxic by-products generated by these chemical reactions in your body.
For optimal health, these processes must work efficiently and in harmony. This requires a consistent supply of a wide range of nutrients in the correct amounts and chemical forms
Signs That Your Metabolism is Struggling
These may include:
- Excess body fat, particularly around the abdomen (which is associated with fat accumulation in and around vital organs like the liver)
- Fatigue and a lack of vitality
If left unaddressed, these issues often progress to more serious conditions, such as metabolic syndrome.
What Is Metabolic Syndrome?
Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that includes:
- High blood pressure
- Elevated blood sugar
- Increased levels of triglycerides and "bad" cholesterol
- Excess body weight
This syndrome affects nearly a third of people in developed countries and is linked to numerous chronic conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, strokes, eye diseases, cancer and dementia.
Nutrients You Need for Metabolic Health
Traditionally, nutrients have been classified into two categories:
- Macronutrients: Proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, which are required in large quantities.
- Micronutrients: Vitamins, minerals, and choline, which are needed in smaller amounts.
However, a growing body of research suggests that this classification is overly simplistic. Polyphenols, often referred to as phytonutrients, do not fit neatly into these categories but play a critical role in promoting metabolic health.
The Role of Polyphenols in Metabolic Health
Polyphenols are natural plant-derived compounds that help maintain metabolic health through various mechanisms. Importantly, these compounds cannot be synthesised by the body and they must be obtained through your diet.
Unfortunately, evidence indicates that most people in developed countries consume diets deficient in these essential nutrients, which could contribute to widespread metabolic health issues.
By incorporating foods rich in polyphenols into your diet - or through supplementation - many of the negative effects associated with poor metabolic health can potentially be mitigated, paving the way for better health and vitality.
By Dr. Steve Collins, Feb. 2025