What is your metabolism?
Your metabolism consists of several processes that take place at the cellular level. For example, your cells get nutrients and building materials from the nutrients that end up in your body, they use these building materials for various essential processes in the body, process waste products, and create reserves that you can use again later. So it is an important and multifaceted process.Metabolism is also called metabolism, which comes from the Greek word ‘metabolisms' which means ‘conversion'. Enzymes play an important role in this because they help to break down nutrients.
A slow metabolism can arise for several reasons. This often happens due to old age, but it can also be hereditary. Other reasons are:
- Hormonal fluctuations and/or diseases
- Not enough sleep
- A strict diet
- Too little iodine in your diet
- A moisture deficiency
- Medication
- Too few carbohydrates
When you suffer from a slow metabolism as a result of heredity, disease, or medication, it is often more difficult to change it. However, supplements and lifestyle changes can help to speed up your metabolism just a little, even if only a little bit.
If you have a slow metabolism due to your medication, you can also benefit from reporting this to your doctor. They may be able to help you switch to another medicine without these side effects.
How can you speed up your metabolism with supplements?
If you suffer from a slow metabolism, you can benefit from speeding it up. Various authorities and companies indicate that you can speed up your metabolism with supplements, and there is certainly a grain of truth in this. However, sometimes non-working supplements are also offered. That is why we focus on the supplements that do function to speed up your metabolism.1. Capsaicin
This substance is often found in spicy food, such as peppers. In addition, it also helps to speed up your metabolism, according to about 20 studies. The substance ensures that you burn up to 50 extra calories per day. Although it may seem like a small amount, that's 350 calories a week!
2. Green tea
Green tea contains both catechin and caffeine, both of which are substances that affect your body's burning rate. Since green tea is a fairly pure substance, it is a safe substance to take as a supplement to speed up your metabolism.
3. L-carnitine
This substance helps your body convert fat into energy. It is a natural substance produced in your liver and kidneys, but you can also speed up your metabolism with L-carnitine supplements. In addition to helping speed up your metabolism, it can also help treat cardiovascular disease. However, more research needs to be done on the correct dose.
4. Speed Up Metabolism With Supplements: Caffeine
Perhaps this is one of the most common supplements that can speed up metabolism. Caffeine makes your metabolism work faster and you burn more calories every day. This already happens from a daily dose of 270 mg. A cup of coffee contains about 95 mg. However, keep in mind that if you regularly drink a lot of coffee, the effect can decrease due to your body getting used to it.
5. Various B Vitamins
There are several B vitamins, but they have one thing in common: they help your body convert nutrients into energy. This process plays a major role in your metabolism and determines how well you use the nutrients as energy or convert them to fat. So it helps to eat a lot of products that contain B vitamins or to take a supplement with B vitamins.
6. Speed up your metabolism with iron
Iron is an important mineral that helps carry oxygen through your red blood cells. As a result, all your limbs, muscles, organs, and tissues receive enough oxygen to function properly. However, when you have too little iron in your body, these body parts function less well, so that there is less room for your metabolism to get started properly.
7. Magnesium
Magnesium plays a role in more than 300 different functions in your body, including processing and making enzymes. When you have insufficient enzymes, they are less able to break down your food, so that too little energy is released for your metabolism to function. It is therefore important to have enough magnesium in your body through a supplement or from your diet.
Can you only speed up your metabolism with supplements?
In addition to taking supplements to speed up your metabolism, there are other ways to do that. This way you can make small changes in your daily life to naturally speed up your metabolism. For example, try one of the tips below:1. Drink cold water
In any case, drinking water is good for your metabolism, because it contains no sugars and calories. Coldwater works best, however, because it requires your body to work hard to heat the drink to your body temperature. You use more energy and your metabolism is maintained. Don't like water? Then it can also help to make an ice tea without added sugars, but with only a tea of your choice.
2. Speed up your metabolism with a high-intensity workout (HIIT)
HIIT stands for “High-Intensity Interval Training”. This means that you perform an exercise of very high intensity for a short period. You then have a short break, after which you perform this exercise again. This intensity helps to burn more fat and ensures that your metabolism remains higher at rest.
3. Move more
If a HIIT exercise isn't for you, you can also choose to move more calmly. Sitting still is not good for our health, and when you work in an office it quickly becomes the standard way of working. It is therefore important to regularly walk around the block, use the bicycle to go to another location, or use the stairs instead of an elevator. These small changes in your daily life can make a big difference to your health.
4. Speed up your metabolism with more protein in your diet
In your body, you have a process called TEF. This stands for “ Thermic Effect of Food ”. This happens when your body needs more energy to burn certain nutrients. These nutrients also include proteins. Your body has to put in more effort for this, so you burn more calories while you are processing your food. It is therefore good to regularly eat a meal with a little more protein. Make sure you have a good balance between animal and vegetable proteins for a varied diet.
5. Get enough sleep
Sleep plays a major role in various processes in our body. For example, you need enough sleep to properly process your memories and thoughts, but it is also important for your physical health. Too little sleep causes your body to produce more ghrelin, a hunger hormone. This increases the chance that you will eat too much and gain more weight. Our metabolism also gets upset when we don't have enough rest. As a result, it functions less well.
The best way to speed up your metabolism is to combine food/supplements with the above tips, such as more exercise. This gives your body a good boost and will be able to get started. Note that a faster metabolism does not equate to a lot of weight loss. With the right diet, you can.
