Metabolism

Metabolism is the means by which the body derives energy and synthesizes the other molecules it needs from the fats, carbohydrates and proteins we eat as food, by enzymatic reactions helped by minerals and vitamins.

What is Anabolism?

Anabolism is the process by which the body utilizes the energy released by catabolism to synthesize complex molecules. These complex molecules are then utilized to form cellular structures that are formed from small and simple precursors that act as building blocks.

Metabolism Key Biochemicals

What is Metabolism?

What are Cytochrome P450 (CYP) Enzymes?

Metabolism Control

An Overview of Nucleotide Metabolism

Metabolism Thermodynamics

Metabolism Catabolism

Science of Metabolism

Gibbs Free Energy and Metabolism

Xenobiotics and Redox Metabolism

Metabolism Evolution

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Metabolism Energy Transformations

What are Coenzymes?

Metabolism History

Metabolism Investigation and Manipulation

Science of Metabolism

Latest Metabolism News and Research

Space station study tests colorectal cancer tumor avatars in microgravity

Researchers from Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM) are studying how microgravity affects how models of colorectal cancer cells respond to chemotherapy aboard the International Space Station.

9 Nov 2026

Single-pill therapy achieves better long-term blood pressure control

Antihypertensive medications combined into a single pill lowered blood pressure more effectively than typical treatment with multiple pills for patients in Jamaica and Colombia, a study co-led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers shows.

8 Nov 2026

Coffee, vegetables and exercise share a surprising connection in your gut

In a study of 6,803 Japanese adults, researchers identified two opposing gut microbiome patterns linking diet, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption with general health and 15 chronic diseases. Health-oriented microbial patterns were associated with butyrate production and lower inflammation, while disease-oriented patterns were linked to inflammatory processes, with microbiome-based prediction scores showing potential for distinguishing health and disease across international populations.

8 Nov 2026

IITGN research explores new approach to tackling drug-resistant glioblastoma

Cancer remains among the most deadly diseases worldwide. Globally, more than 300,000 new cases of brain cancer are reported each year, with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, accounting for over 250,000 deaths.

6 Nov 2026

Obesity drugs may help protect memory and cognitive abilities

Drugs used to treat obesity may also help protect the brain. In a review published in Science, researchers outline how a better understanding of these drugs' effects could lead to new treatments that protect memory and other important cognitive abilities.

6 Nov 2026

Hidden genetic differences in gut bacteria may hold clues to aging

Researchers analyzed approximately 12.8 million gut microbial genetic variants in 10,781 individuals across six cohorts, identifying 940 independent associations with 69 human health characteristics and environmental exposures. Nearly two-thirds of these associations were not accompanied by significant differences in bacterial species abundance, suggesting that microbial genetics can reveal relationships overlooked by conventional microbiome analyses, although causality remains unproven.

5 Nov 2026

Review examines translational bottlenecks for plant-derived anti-inflammatory compounds

A review led by Professor Weidong Zhang at the School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, was published in Volume 2 of the journal Immunity & Inflammation on October 27, 2026. The article systematically examines the translational bottlenecks and potential solutions for plant-derived anti-inflammatory compounds.

5 Nov 2026

Compound YZG-331 leverages gut microbiota to improve sleep in mouse models of insomnia

This new article publication from Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B discusses how interactions between the investigational compound YZG-331 and the gut microbiota contribute to its sleep-promoting effects in mouse models of insomnia.

5 Nov 2026

Scientists develop slug-inspired hydrogel to seal gastrointestinal fistulas

Gastrointestinal fistulas are abnormal passages between the digestive tract and another organ or tissue. They are a common complication of surgery, trauma, inflammatory diseases, and malignant tumors and can be life-threatening in severe cases.

5 Nov 2026

Graded physical activity prescriptions improve functional outcomes in psychiatry

Most of us have heard the advice so often that it has worn smooth, like a stone in a river: get some exercise. A new peer-reviewed Viewpoint in Brain Health, drawing on randomized trials, meta-analyses, and cohort studies, argues that this familiar sentence has been doing the wrong job.

5 Nov 2026

Modern lifestyles may be changing our gut bacteria in unexpected ways

A global study of 1,015 adults across 12 countries found that industrialized lifestyles were associated with lower gut bacterial diversity, reduced microbial community stability, and increased markers of intestinal stress and immune activity. The researchers also found that a microbiome-based health index developed using industrialized populations performed poorly in less-industrialized communities, raising concerns about its applicability across diverse populations.

4 Nov 2026

Faulty cellular recycling may link pulmonary arterial hypertension to brain damage

A commentary in The Journal of Clinical Investigation examines evidence linking pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to cerebellar abnormalities, focusing on impaired lysosomal lipid metabolism, oxysterol accumulation, and microglial inflammation. Findings from human imaging, mouse models, and cultured cells suggest that NCOA7 may help protect against these changes, although the proposed mechanisms and therapeutic implications require further investigation.

4 Nov 2026

Gut-brain dopamine pathway drives learned food preferences over time

If you can remember your first sip of coffee, the memory might not be a pleasant one. Coffee's bitter flavor is one we naturally steer clear of. So how do coffee fans learn to love it?

4 Nov 2026

Eating peanuts every day may change your brains insulin response

The study finds that unsalted peanuts may enhance brain insulin responsiveness, providing new insights into dietary influences on cognitive health in aging.

4 Nov 2026

Study reveals how breast milk sugar may help protect infants against jaundice

A new study by researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine sheds light on the role of breast milk in supporting intestinal development and preventing hyperbilirubinemia, a condition in which bilirubin, a waste product from broken-down red blood cells, builds up in the blood and causes yellowing of the skin and eyes known as jaundice.

3 Nov 2026

Compounds that give citrus fruits their scent may affect gut health

A review published in Food & Function found that dietary terpenoids, naturally occurring compounds in fruits, herbs, and vegetables, can suppress inflammatory signalling and improve intestinal barrier function in laboratory and animal studies. However, human evidence remains limited to two small studies of geraniol-based interventions for irritable bowel syndrome, with further research needed to establish clinical efficacy, appropriate dosing, and long-term safety.

3 Nov 2026

Blueberries reduced blood vessel inflammation in mice, but only with gut microbes present

A preclinical study found that gut microbes help convert blueberry phytochemicals into circulating metabolites, including hippuric acid, that are associated with reduced vascular inflammation. In mice fed a high-fat diet, blueberry supplementation reduced inflammatory markers and monocyte adhesion to blood vessels, but these benefits disappeared following antibiotic-mediated gut microbial depletion.

3 Nov 2026

Study identifies new target to improve ulcerative colitis treatments

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, relapsing inflammatory bowel disease in which persistent mucosal inflammation damages the epithelial barrier.

3 Nov 2026

Can pregnancy leave a lasting mark on biological aging?

A review examines how pregnancy spacing affects maternal aging, proposing that insufficient recovery may lead to cumulative biological aging and health risks.

3 Nov 2026

Key innate immune protein regulates cholesterol and influences cancer treatment resistance

Scientists at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered an unexpected role for a key innate immune protein, revealing how it helps regulate cholesterol levels inside cells and influences tumor growth and treatment response.

3 Nov 2026