Physical Activeness : A key to boost up Metabolism

Physical activity increases the peristaltic movement in gut which propels food forward in gut and helps in digestion process. It is often seen that depressed patients have less peristaltic movements in their gut that is the biggest reason behind indigestion issues like constipation among depressed population.

Physical activity and Gut health are somehow related to mental health. When we do physical activity, our metabolism boost up and enhance the  rate of vital reactions which usually runs in our body to sustain life. During any kind of physical activity, breathing process enhances which ensure proper supply of oxygen through oxygenation of blood in alveoli of lungs. 

This oxygenated blood reach to the left auricle and then left ventricle of heart from where it pumps into the body through dorsal aorta. These aorta branched up into different arteries that tapered into thin capillaries which came quite closer to the vicinity of each cell from where they exchange gases through tissue fluid that act as a mediator inbetween capillaries and cell.

 Oxygen supplied by blood capillaries through tissue fluid into the cell where calories burn to generate ATP. Oxygen works in almost similar pattern inside body as any fuel does while cooking food that burns itself to provide heat energy for breaking down the complex food into simpler form so that all nutrients can be easily absorbed. 

Likewise inside the cell, all macronurtrients converted into simpler form through burning with oxygen which actually oxidised the complex nutrients and break down it into simpler form in a similar manner when food gets cooked, it actually converts into simpler form that may be more bioavailable to body than raw form. 

During the metabolic process of macronutrients, ATP’s generate initially in glycolysis phase then in kreb cycle phase and some coenzyme like NADH, FADH2 coenzyme A get reduced into ATP in electron transport chain which is an energy currency of cell that can be utilised as an energy source for carrying out vital reactions to sustain life. 

The whole metabolism depends on influx of oxygen through lungs, as we know physical activity of any kind enhances respiration rate for gaseous exchange. Likewise, muscle glycogen has a very crucial role to support strength in muscles to ensure locomotion in limbs. All the voluntary action that involves some muscle movement like running, walking, etc. takes up energy from muscle glycogen which has a crucial role to play in our body. 

Although muscle glycogen is utilised only if a person is severely starved or under strict dietary regime. Glycogen metabolism in liver followed by fat and protein metabolism. Excess fat metabolism may lead us to complication like ketosis and excess protein metabolism that may lead us to uremia which ultimately results into kidney failure. Hence, physical activity must be maintained to an optimum level when enough energy is ensured by glucose in our body.  

Stay Active & Grow Healthy !

Thank You

Dr. Richa Srivastava