Okuzeka
Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Digestion and Metabolism

Metabolize

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

/məˈtæbəlaɪz/verbCommon term

In nutrition & dietetics, metabolize means: To process a substance through the body's chemical reactions, for example to break down food for energy or to change a drug or alcohol into other compounds.

In Turkish: metabolize etmek, metabolize olmak

How it is used

Common in physiology, pharmacology and sports science. You can say that the body, the liver or the muscles metabolize something, or that a substance 'is metabolized'. Clients sometimes say 'I don't metabolize carbs well', which is usually an informal claim rather than a diagnosis.

Example sentences

  1. The liver metabolizes alcohol at a fairly fixed rate.

  2. During long exercise, muscles metabolize more fat for fuel.

Common collocations

  • metabolize glucose
  • metabolize fat
  • be metabolized by the liver
  • metabolize alcohol
  • metabolismAll the chemical processes in the body that turn food into energy and into the materials cells need, and that break down and remove waste.
  • break downTo change a substance into smaller, simpler parts through chemical processes, as when enzymes turn proteins into amino acids and starch into sugars.
  • basal metabolic rateThe amount of energy the body uses at complete rest to keep basic functions such as breathing, circulation and cell repair going. It is usually the largest part of daily energy use.
  • digestionThe process in which the mouth, stomach and intestines break food down into small molecules that can be absorbed into the blood and used by the body.

More terms: Digestion and Metabolism

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level:

This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.