metabolic

[ met-uh-bol-ik ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or affected by metabolism.
2. undergoing metamorphosis.

Other Words From

• meta·boli·cal·ly adverb
• hyper·meta·bolic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of metabolic¹

First recorded in 1735–45; from Greek metabolikós “changeable,” from metabol(ḗ) “change” + -ikos -ic; metabolism

Example Sentences

Our bodies release certain metabolites—products of our metabolic activities.

From Nautilus

Finding the genetic basis for the animal’s metabolic feats could clarify the mitochondrial genome’s function, helping to find treatments for human metabolic diseases.

From Science News

Basal metabolic rate is the minimum amount of calories required for basic functions at rest.

From Washington Post

In birds, metabolic rates played a massive role for birds, while isolating mechanisms like body hair or fat reserves had a prominent role for mammals.

From Popular-Science

Adipose tissue is therefore important for good metabolic health.

From No Straight News

What if they were to measure body composition or hormone levels or metabolic rate?

From The Daily Beast

A “set point” would determine weight by regulating metabolic activity, hunger and even the desire to do exercise.

From The Daily Beast

After all, here we are, in the middle of a global obesity crisis; and there they are running a metabolic lab on television.

From The Daily Beast

They are much more likely to have metabolic syndrome—a condition that puts you at high risk for diabetes and heart disease.

From The Daily Beast

Eventually, he developed metabolic syndrome—a condition that presages diabetes and heart disease.

From The Daily Beast

It stimulates metabolic activity of tissue cells and secures more complete oxidation of energy-yielding elements.

From Project Gutenberg

Not as our bodies do the stars need continual metabolic replacing food.

From Project Gutenberg

(b) The medium became toxic from the accumulation of metabolic products.

From Project Gutenberg

A still more important difference is that the metabolic force is peculiar to the cell.

From Project Gutenberg

Now, an indispensable condition of the ripening of the ovum in the female organism is that the metabolic process shall be normal.

From Project Gutenberg

More About Metabolic

What does metabolic mean?

Metabolic describes something that is related to or is affected by metabolism, as in Dr. Petrov discovered the patient’s illness had metabolic causes.

Your metabolism is the sum of the physical and chemical processes in your body needed to sustain life by producing energy. In humans, metabolism involves a large number of different organs and tissues. For this reason, the word metabolic is frequently used in medicine, nutrition, and other health sciences to discuss the digestive system, circulatory system, and other bodily processes.

Example: While studying the birds, the researchers conducted intense studies of the animals’ metabolic rate increases during prolonged flights.

Where does metabolic come from?

The first records of the word metabolic come from around 1735. It comes from the Greek metabolikós, meaning “changeable.” Metabolism involves the changing of something (such as food or air) into something else (energy), so something that is said to be metabolic is “changeable” from a certain perspective.

You are most likely to see the word metabolic used in articles, books, or other documents related to biology, medicine, or other life sciences. Scientists often analyze how the bodies and bodily functions of organisms change, and metabolism plays a central role in the body’s survival and adjustments the body makes to produce more or less energy.

For example, a medical doctor might discover that a patient’s vitamin deficiency is due to metabolic disorder. Or a nutritionist might be interested in a person’s metabolic rate when trying to come up with a personalized diet for them.

Did you know … ?

What are some other forms related to metabolic?

• metabolically (adverb)
• hypermetabolic (adjective)

What are some words that share a root or word element with metabolic? 

• metamorphic
• hyperbolic

What are some words that often get used in discussing metabolic?

• metabolism
• biology
• medicine
• health
• energy
• rate
• disorder

How is metabolic used in real life?

Metabolic is used to refer to bodily health and the body’s production of energy.

I have NEVER seen any patient cure their #diabetes & #hypertension with meds. If they did, they would be able to stop their meds.

I HAVE seen patients #cure their diabetes & hypertension with diet and come off their meds.#RealFood is the “antibiotic” of metabolic diseases.

— Elie Jarrouge, MD (@ElieJarrougeMD) October 15, 2020

❗️Paradigm shift❗️: The cell nucleus is not only a passive storehouse for genetic material but an active compartment rapidly converting mechanical inputs into signaling & metabolic outputs. https://t.co/4F8CEoHT2Z

— Alexis J. Lomakin, Ph.D. (@Alexis_Lomakin) October 15, 2020

My patient, Charles, a 42-year-old male with metabolic syndrome and a testosterone of 200 ng/dL raised his testosterone to the mid 400s. How did he do it? Was it just a testosterone booster or drugs?

Nope. It was lifestyle. Weight loss with a focus on whole healthy foods.

— Dr. Spencer Nadolsky (@DrNadolsky) October 16, 2020

 

 

Try using metabolic!

True or False?

Metabolic can describe processes related to the digestive system, circulatory system, and others.