Catabolic
‘Catabolic’ means ‘breakdown’: metabolic processes that break down larger molecules, thereby releasing energy. The opposite term is ‘anabolic’.
Auch bekannt als: katabole Stoffwechsellage, Katabolismus, abbauender Stoffwechsel
Catabolic means ‘breakdown’. It refers to all metabolic processes that break down larger molecules into smaller ones, thereby releasing energy: glycogen is broken down into glucose, stored fat into fatty acids, and muscle protein into amino acids. Here, too, the word merely describes the direction. Catabolic is not synonymous with harmful: every movement and every break between meals is a catabolic process.
The counterpart is anabolic. In colloquial terms, ‘catabolic’ usually refers to the specific case where the body breaks down muscle protein, that is, the Atrophy. That is a misconception: fat loss is just as catabolic, and on a diet, it is precisely the aim. Anyone who distinguishes between the two will understand why a calorie deficit does not automatically lead to a loss of muscle mass.
In this knowledge base, the word appears mainly in connection with the Diet where the question is as to where the lost weight comes from, and in Cortisol, the hormone most commonly cited in connection with catabolism. The extent of catabolism depends on the energy deficit, on the Protein intake and whether training will continue.
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