Types of Metabolic Diseases and Their Impact on Health.

Let’s study types of metabolic diseases and their impact on health. Metabolic disorders are the medical condition in which the normal process of converting food into energy is disrupted. The food that is consumed by the body is broken down into simpler food particles which is then converted into energy. This energy is utilized by the body to perform various functions.

Metabolism is the biochemical process that generates energy in the body to perform various activities like growth, movement, reproduction, tissue repair, and to respond to the external environment. When there is disturbances in this metabolism condition called metabolic disorder takes place

Where is body fat stored in the body?

Metabolic diseases: Types, Effects and Symptoms-

Metabolic disease can be caused due to genetic mutation, deficiencies of enzymes or hormonal imbalance. Metabolic disorder is caused when there is metabolic disturbance in the chemical reaction that is responsible to convert food into energy. Currently there are many metabolic disorder found. About more than 300 metabolic disorders are found of which many are genetic disorders. Some of them will be discussed in this article,

Diabetes-

Diabetes is the medical condition where body is not able to maintain and regulate its blood sugar level to the optimal level. This condition is caused when there is defect in pancreas. Pancreas has islets of Langerhans cells that secrets insulin in the body. Insulin is the hormone that controls blood sugar level.

There are two types of diabetes

• Type 1 diabetes-

This is autoimmune disorder, in this condition immune system attacks pancreas and affects islets of Langerhans cells to produce insulin. Due to lack of sufficient amount of insulin, blood sugar level increases or decreases in the body. Daily dose of insulin is administered to regulate blood glucose level.

• Type 2 diabetes-

This type of diabetes progressively developing in the population of growing age. It is also seen the younger population nowadays. In this condition insulin is not able to perform its function properly. This can be due to genetics, age or food habits.

Phenylketonuria(PKU)-

Phenylketonuria is essential to produce phenylalanine hydroxylase, the enzyme that is essential to form amino acid. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. They are very important to form proteins in the body. In some condition there is absence of phenylketonuria genetically, or due to some medical conditions. Then in such condition metabolic pathway is disturbed. Amino acid is not formed in the peoples with PKU this condition needs treatment as soon as possible or it may cause damage to the brain.

Hypothyroidism/ hyperthyroidism-

The gland that produces thyroid hormone is called as thyroid gland. Damage to this gland can lead to imbalance in the hormone production. Imbalance of thyroid hormone can lead to metabolic disorder.

Gaucher disease-

This is very rare genetic disorder, that causes excess of lipid accumulation in different parts of the body like spleen or liver. These organs grow in size larger than required and leads to wild range of health conditions that affects metabolism of the body.

Mitochondrial damage-

This condition is mostly genetic or caused to genetic mutation. Mitochondria that is power house of the cells has defective genes. So there is insufficient amount of energy formed in the body. They affect different parts of the body, like muscle growth, movement of body.

Symptoms of metabolic diseases

• Tiredness,
• Loss of appetite,
• Vomiting,
• Muscle weakness,
• Thin and lean body,
• Improper growth,
• Weight gain or weight loss,
• Reproductive problems.

Summary,

Peoples with metabolic diseases should visit doctor as soon as they find out the possibility of occurrence of disease. If these metabolic disorders are not treated on time they may worsen the health condition of the person and advance the complications associated with the disorders