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Why does your basal metabolic rate change with age? What's working behind the scenes?
Mobility is crucial to human health, and basal metabolic rate (BMR) is one of the fundamental factors affecting this mobility. Basal metabolic rate refers to the rate at which the body requires energy to maintain basic life in a resting state. As age increases, this value tends to decrease, but the reasons behind this phenomenon are worthy of further exploration.
Basal metabolic rate usually decreases by about 1-2% every ten years starting from the age of 20. This is primarily due to loss of fat-free body mass, but there is considerable inter-individual variability.
Like many physiological indicators, basal metabolic rate is affected by many factors, among which changes in muscle mass are the most significant. In humans, many people experience natural muscle loss as they age, which directly results in a reduction in basal metabolic rate. Lean body mass is more active than fat tissue, which means having more muscle increases your basal metabolic rate.
In addition to muscle mass, body temperature also has a great impact on basal metabolism. Generally speaking, a low temperature environment will increase the basal metabolic rate because the body needs to generate more heat to maintain a proper body temperature. This process is called thermogenesis, and the energy consumption can be measured.
Basal metabolic rate means the amount of energy an individual needs to maintain life in a resting state. For example, basic functions such as breathing, blood circulation, and body temperature regulation.
According to research, certain physiological states also affect basal metabolic rate, such as pregnancy or different stages of the menstrual cycle. A large number of studies have found that women's basal metabolic rate will increase due to the increase in progesterone during the luteal phase, which may affect overall calorie consumption to a certain extent.
With in-depth research on basal metabolism, scientists have gradually realized that factors such as inflammation, disease, and stress levels also affect everyone's basal metabolic rate. For example, during illness, the body's energy needs increase, so a higher basal metabolic rate is a natural response to support the body's healing mechanisms.
Basal metabolic rate measurements are usually performed under very strict conditions to ensure that all influencing factors are minimized. For example, testing is performed in a comfortable environment to ensure that the sympathetic nervous system is not stimulated and is undergoing adequate resting state. However, a less demanding way to measure it at home or on a daily basis is often called resting metabolic rate (RMR).
Changes in basal metabolic rate are sometimes closely related to climatic conditions. For example, in the cold season, the basal metabolic rate of many birds will increase.
In addition to physiological factors that affect basal metabolic rate, there are also a number of biochemical mechanisms operating behind the scenes. The human body's basal metabolism accounts for about 70% of the total daily energy consumption, and physical activities account for about 20%. This means that the gap in energy requirements to maintain basic physiological processes and daily activities is actually quite significant.
Other studies have pointed out that as age increases, the basal metabolic rate will quietly decrease. This may be related to lifestyle changes, such as less exercise, loss of muscle mass, and changes in eating habits.
To observe changes in a person's basal metabolic rate, we not only need to pay attention to age itself, but also consider multiple factors such as genetic background and living habits. And there are huge differences between people, and the variables are sometimes difficult to predict. For example, some elderly people can still maintain high mobility, which may be related to their genetic makeup, diet, and even social activities.
So when we think about how our bodies change with age, should we also seriously consider the impact of the various factors behind it?
