Metabolism 2

The metabolism rates of people vary, which plays a sig- nificant role in who will struggle with weight even if eating well and exercising. As a person ages, his or her metabolism will slow down, which contributes  to weight gain in older years.
Occasionally you will hear people mention  that their weight gain is from a thyroid problem. A problem with this gland can definitely affect a person’s weight. The thyroid gland produces a hormone called thyroxine, which affects the speed of metabolism. If the thyroid is damaged, it may become less active with the result of lowered metabolism. 

 This condition is referred to as hypothyroidism. Individuals with hypothy- roidism feel tired, feel constipated, and may have a slower heart rate. The opposite scenario is hyperthyroidism, when the thyroid is too active. The result of an overactive thyroid is weight loss, increased blood pressure, elevated heart rate, protruding  eyes, and sometimes even a swelling of the neck referred to as a goiter.Another factor affecting someone’s  metabolism is how much muscle he or she has and how much he or she exer- cises. Generally, a higher percentage of muscle versus fat on the  body  increases the  metabolism.  Exercise can  increase metabolism because the body is burning more calories while running, jumping, or walking than while sitting still. The rate at which a person burns calories by sitting still is referred to as basal metabolism. Basal metabolism varies among people and is greatly influenced by genetics. Basal metabolism can be increased by becoming more physically fit. Another way to increase basal metabolism is by taking weight-loss drugs that stimulate the body’s metabolic rate.