Why Does Metabolism Slow With Age?

Metabolism, the breaking down of foods into fuels by the body, slows as we age. This slowing can lead to excessive weight gain, which in turn leads to higher risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Cells Slow With Age

• What seems to happen is that individual cell mitochondria slow down with age, explains Christopher Newgard, director of Duke University's nutrition and metabolism center. The mitochondria are the structures inside of each cell that break down carbohydrates and release energy into the system. A slow mitochondrion will slow the entire metabolic system.

Sarcopenia

• Barry Stein of Wake Forest University School of Medicine states in an MSN Health and Fitness article

  that as people grow older, their muscles begin wasting, a condition known as sarcopenia. Because muscle burns more energy than fat does, metabolism slows as a result of the sarcopenia. Muscle wasting makes it harder to break down the foods that you eat.

Obesity

• While the slowing of metabolic rate does contribute to the accumulation of weight on a person, it is not the only culprit. The human body is designed to store a reserve of fat in case there is no more food available. In today's society, there is rarely a food shortage, but our bodies still store excess just in case. Physical activity can help burn off that reserve.