ABSTRACT
M etabolism is the foundation of all voluntary human movement. Simply stated, metabolism involves utilizing the food that we eat to store energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). We then break down the ATP, liberate the energy, and use it to cause muscles to contract. Metabolism means “to change” and includes the processes of anabolism and catabolism. Anabolism means “to build up”; the term refers to processes in which structures are created, such as the use of amino acids to make proteins that contribute to muscle mass. Catabolism means “to break down”; it refers to processes such as breaking down glycogen (stored glucose) to glucose molecules, or glucose to pyruvate for ATP production.
