Guide To Metabolic Disorders

Metabolism is a term used to describe a complex process that occurs in the body where energy is obtained from the food an individual has consumed. The food an individual consumes is made of three components called fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. These three components must be broken down into the substances that create fuel for the body, or sugars and acids. Once these substances have been made, they can be stored in body tissues like the muscles, fat, and liver, or they may be used right away as fuel. A metabolic disorder forms when this process becomes disrupted by some mechanism involving abnormal chemical reactions. Some metabolic disorders have effects on the breakdown process of carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids. Many individuals develop metabolic disorders when the associated organs become diseased, like the pancreas and liver.