Metabolic Disorders: When the Body's Energy Process Goes Wrong

Metabolism is the process your body uses to get or make energy from food.

How metabolism works

1. Food is made of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
2. Chemicals in the digestive system break them down into sugars and acids — the body's fuel.
3. The body can use this fuel straight away, or store the energy in tissues such as the liver, muscles and body fat.

What goes wrong

A metabolic disorder happens when abnormal chemical reactions in the body disrupt this process. You may end up with too much of some substances, or too little of others you need to stay healthy.

Kinds of metabolic disorder

• Breakdown disorders — some affect how the body breaks down amino acids, carbohydrates or lipids.
• Mitochondrial diseases — these affect the parts of cells that produce energy.
• Organ disease — a metabolic disorder can develop when an organ such as the liver or pancreas becomes diseased or does not work normally. Diabetes is an example.

Sources

• "Metabolic Disorders," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/metabolicdisorders.html
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