Metabolic Types
Metabolism is the sum total of biochemical reactions happening in the cells.
Metabolic rate is the rate at which we burn energy, or calories (from food) as
part of this biochemical activity. Metabolic rate varies quite markedly across
the population. This is in part a consequence of genetic variation. Metabolic
rate even varies at different times within the same individual (for example it
generally drops as we age).
What factors control the metabolic rate? There are many. Practically speaking,
two major factors are of interest: (i) diet and (ii) brain regulation, via
hormones (especially thyroid and
adrenal hormones) and the autonomic nervous system.
Metabolic typing is the idea that different groups of people, because of broad
differences in ways their bodies use energy, have different dietary
requirements. No single diet is suitable for everyone. A diet that is suitable
for one person can even be quite harmful to another person.
Broadly the main metabolic types are:
- Protein type: people in this group do well on relatively high levels of
protein and fat. Their metabolism tends to run quite fast, but can be quite
variable leading to energy swings, if they don’t eat the right diet.
- Carbohydrate type: people in this group do well on a high carbohydrate
diet with relatively lower levels of protein and fat. Their metabolism is prone
to run slow, especially if they don’t eat the right diet.
- Mixed type: these people come somewhere between the above two poles.
Even vitamins and minerals can affect the metabolic types differently.
Dr Mercola's Nutritional Typing Questionnaire
Dr Mercola is America's leading natural therapy physician, and a champion of
metabolic typing (which he calls nutritional typing). He has developed a
questionnaire to determine your type, which is now available free of charge:
Take the Mercola
Metabolic Typing Questionnaire.