So, what is a fast metabolism, anyway? The following article examines the signs of a fast metabolism and how a fast or slow metabolism can affect weight management and general health and wellness. For more information about what is a fast metabolism, you can buy Metabolism & Medicine here. You can learn more about the intersection of metabolic performance and modern physics in volume one and volume two of Dr. Brian Fertig’s extraordinary work on the metabolic landscape of health and disease.
Metabolic rate is something we talk about as if we can influence it by taking pills, drinking green tea, or starting interval training. The desire for a fast metabolism neglects to address the myriad issues that contribute to metabolic function.
What is a fast metabolism? How can you tell if you have a fast or slow metabolism?
A fast metabolism is the body’s need for a large number of calories to support basic functions.
Among the symptoms of a fast metabolism are an inability to gain weight, increased breathing, insomnia, frequent sweating, and increased calorie burning.
There is often a distinction between a fast and slow metabolism, depending on how quickly a person’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) increases or decreases. A person’s basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a measure of how fast the body uses its sources of energy, which can be either fat or glycogen, to power the body when it’s at rest.
Metabolic processes are highly complex and include a whole variety of functions that occur in the body to create stores of energy in the body’s tissues or break the energy stores down. Building stores of energy is called anabolism while breaking them down is called catabolism.
Compared to people with a slower metabolism, people who have a fast metabolism will burn calories more quickly. In order to maintain their weight, people with a fast metabolism need to consume a high amount of calories. Comparatively, people with a slow metabolism will find it challenging to lose weight and require fewer calories to maintain their normal body function.
The issues listed below are a few of the most common indications that you have a fast metabolism:
- Having a hard time gaining weight
- Iron deficiency
- A tendency to sweat frequently
- Excessive energy or hyperactivity
- Elevated heart rate
- Rapid breathing
- Elevated resting body temperature
- Frequent trips to the bathroom
- Constant hunger/increased appetite
- Insomnia
- Low body fat percentage
The body type and bone structure of people who have fast metabolisms tend to be smaller and leaner than those who do not. Consequently, they have trouble gaining weight because they have considerable muscle mass, which requires a great deal of caloric energy to maintain.
In terms of weight management, your metabolism plays a significant role, and while inherited factors contribute to metabolic efficiency, your metabolism isn’t unchanging. Over time, your metabolism does adjust to your body composition, lifestyle, and environment.
Many people who struggle with weight management would like to boost their metabolic performance. However, people who have difficulty maintaining a healthy weight due to a highly active metabolism that might be due to a medical condition (hyperthyroidism, should be evaluated by a medical professional. The most effective strategy for achieving a faster and more efficient metabolism involves consulting a medical professional specializing in metabolic health.
Dr. Brian Fertig, the author of the groundbreaking two-volume work Metabolism & Medicine, is the founder and president of The Diabetes & Osteoporosis Center in Piscataway, New Jersey. Dr. Fertig is also Chairman of the Department of Endocrinology at JFK Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey and Associate Professor of Medicine at Robert Wood Johnson University School of Medicine.