Things That Can Slow Metabolism

Metabolism is the digestive process by which you use the energy, or calories, that you consume. If you think you may be suffering from a slow metabolism, there are several factors that could be the cause. Once you determine the cause of your slow metabolism, you can take steps to correct it and prevent weight gain.

Physical Inactivity

• Not getting enough exercise can adversely affect your metabolism, say experts. According to MSN Health, building muscle is essential to boosting and maintaining your metabolism. "Muscle is the single most important predictor of how well you metabolize your food, how well you burn calories and burn body fat," says Shari Lieberman, author of Dare to Lose. Lieberman suggests performing muscle-building exercises at least twice a week and 30 to 60 minutes of cardio exercise such as walking and running a minimum of three times weekly.

Poor Eating Habits

• Restricting calories too much in an attempt to burn body fat and lose weight can actually have the opposite effect. Studies show that inadequate calorie consumption throws the body into starvation mode, in which it tries to conserve energy by storing more fat. In order to boost a slow metabolism, it is necessary to eat more, and more often. Stick to natural, wholesome foods and avoid too much sugar: "When you eat sugar you throw your metabolic switch into fat storage mode" says Lieberman. She suggests following a low-glycemic diet with foods such as whole grains, which take a longer time to convert to glucose in the body.

Hypothyroidism

• Hypothyroidism is a term to describe a condition in which your thyroid does not produce enough hormones, which slows down every process in the body, including metabolism. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include chronic constipation, weight gain, dry skin, muscle cramps and tenderness, and/or an enlarged thyroid. According to familydoctor.org, women over 50 are more likely to develop hypothryroidism than men. If you think you may have hypothyroidism, your doctor can perform tests to check thyroid hormone levels and prescribe necessary treatments to control the condition.

Not Getting Enough Sleep

• Inadequate sleep can have a profound impact on the body's metabolism, according to the University of Chicago Chronicle online. In a study following 11 men, researchers studied the hormonal changes in the body after 8 hours, 4 hours, and 12 hours of sleep. "We found that the metabolic and endocrine changes resulting from a significant sleep debt mimic many of the hallmarks of aging...such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and memory loss," says Eve Van Cauter, Research Professor in Medicine and director of the study.