In order to build biomolecules and sustain life, the body needs energy. The body gets its energy from the breakdown of nutrients like glucose, amino acids and fatty acids, To construct molecules there must be molecular destruction going on simultaneously to provide the energy required to drive these biochemical reactions.

The many biochemical processes that make up the body’s metabolism are categorized into two general phases; anabolism and catabolism. From the start, it must be understood that anabolism and catabolism occur simultaneously all the time. However, they differ in magnitude depending on the level of activity or rest and on when the last meal was eaten. When anabolism exceeds catabolism, net growth occurs. When catabolism exceeds anabolism, the body has a net loss of substances and body tissues and may lose weight.

Anabolism includes the chemical reactions that combine different biomolecules to create larger more complex ones. The net result of anabolism is that new cellular material is made, such as enzymes, proteins, cell membranes, new cells, and growth of the many tissues. That energy is stored in the form of glycogen and/or fat, and in muscle tissue. Anabolism is necessary for growth, maintenance, and repair of tissues.

Catabolism is the term used to describe the chemical reactions that break down complex biomolecules into simpler ones for energy production, to recycling of molecular components, or for their excretion. Catabolism provides the energy needed for transmitting the nerve impulses and muscle contraction.

Metabolism includes only the chemical changes that occur within tissue cells in the body. It does not include those changes to substances that take place in the digestion of foods in the gastrointestinal system. A healthy metabolism needs many nutrients to function optimally. A slight deficiency of even one vitamin can slow down metabolism and cause chaos throughout the body. The body builds thousands of enzymes to drive your metabolism in the direction influenced by activity and nutrition. So, when you are training several hours a day, you better make sure that your diet contains the nutrients it needs to feed the many metabolic pathways.

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