METABOLISM AND HOMEOSTASIS

 

INTRODUCTION: Metabolism is all of the chemical reactions and physical processes that take place within the body. Metabolism includes growing, repairing, reacting, and reproducing all the characteristics of life. The pumping of the heart, the digestion of food in the stomach, the diffusion of gases in the lungs and tissues, and the production of energy in each cell of the body are just a few of the thousands of aspects of metabolism. Cardiaccycle and the heart sounds: Gaseous exchange.

METABOLIC RATE: A related concept, metabolic rate, is most often used to mean the speed at which the body produces energy and heat, or, put another way, energy production per unit of time, such as 24 hours. Metabolic rate, therefore, is one aspect of metabolism. A person who is in good health may be said to be in a state of homeostasis.

HOMEOSTASIS: Homeostasis reflects the ability of the body to maintain a relatively stable metabolism and to function normally despite many constant changes. The changes that are part of normal metabolism may be internal or external, and the body must respond appropriately. Eating breakfast, for example, brings about an internal change. Suddenly there is food in the stomach, and something must be done with it. The food is digested or broken down into simple chemicals that the body can use. An example of an external change is a rise in environmental temperature. On a hot day, the body temperature would also tend to rise. However, body temperature must be kept within its normal range of about 36⁰ to 37.6⁰C in order to support normal functioning. One of the body’s responses to the external temperature rise is to increase sweating so that excess body heat can be lost by the evaporation of sweat on the surface of the skin. This response, however, may bring about an undesirable internal change, dehydration. 

As body water decreases, we feel the sensation of thirst and drink fluids to replace the water lost in sweating. Notice that when certain body responses occur, they reverse the event that triggered them. In the preceding example a rising body temperature stimulates increased sweating, which lowers body temperature, which in turn decreases sweating. Unnecessary sweating that would be wasteful of water is prevented.

RELATED;

1. METABOLISM AND METABOLIC DISORDER

2. METABOLIC PROFILE OF ORGANS

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