What is metabolism

Metabolism refers to the set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms. These reactions allow organisms to grow, reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is broadly divided into two categories: catabolism and anabolism.

Catabolism breaks down complex molecules into simpler ones, releasing energy. For example, the breakdown of glucose during cellular respiration.

Anabolism uses energy to build complex molecules from simpler ones. For example, the synthesis of proteins from amino acids.