ABSTRACT
Metabolism, in general, is the sum of all of the chemical reactions that occur in the body; both in intracellular and extracellular compartments. This chapter focuses on certain subsets of metabolic reactions, such as mineral metabolism, further divided into subsets such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium and sodium metabolisms, as well as carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolisms, to cite a few. Basal metabolism is defined as the study of oxidative metabolism in the mitochondria of cells in a resting animal in which certain energy sources such as glucose are oxidized to form molecules of the ubiquitous, energy storage molecule, adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The processes of ATP synthesis and its utilization in the various intracellular reactions are under closed-loop control by various regulatory hormones. Basal metabolic rates (BMR) is often given as a percent above or below the average BMR for a "standard" person of a given age and gender.
