The key difference between metabolism and metabolic rate is that metabolism refers to all chemical reactions occurring in the body in order to allow life and normal functioning while metabolic rate refers to the frequency of metabolism in an organism.
Having something in possession and using it are completely different. The possession should be efficiently used in order to appreciate its existence. Likewise, metabolism should not only be taking place in an organism, but it should also be functioning in proper frequency so that the organism can thrive in the environment. However, the two aspects are sometimes barely understood, so this article discusses the important facts regarding the difference between metabolism and metabolic rate.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Metabolism
3. What is Metabolic Rate
4. Similarities Between Metabolism and Metabolic Rate
5. Side by Side Comparison – Metabolism vs Metabolic Rate in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is Metabolism?
Metabolism is an extremely vital set of biochemical reactions that take place in order to sustain the life of organisms. Metabolic processes are essential for maintaining the growth and development of organisms, and the extraction of energy through metabolic pathways. Metabolism occurs mainly through two types of processes: anabolism and catabolism. These are responsible for harvesting and spending energy, respectively. Furthermore, organic matter is subjected to digestion through catabolic processes in order to produce energy via cellular respiration. Meanwhile, anabolic processes use the energy produced during catabolism to construct vital components such as proteins and nucleic acids in order to sustain life in the organism.
Figure 01: Metabolism
Metabolic reactions occur in a well-organized manner as pathways which are controlled using hormones and enzymes. Scientists have discovered that metabolic pathways of organisms are remarkably similar, even in extremely different species. For example, the citric acid cycle that takes place in both elephants and Escherichia coli bacterium share many similarities. Ecology and evolutionary biology provide explanations for these remarkable similarities. This means the potential of metabolic activity determines the sustainability of life of a particular organism.
What is Metabolic Rate?
Metabolic rate is the frequency of metabolism in a particular organism. In other words, the metabolic rate is the rate at which metabolism takes place. Since the processes of extracting energy from food and spending it for different functions in the body are collectively known as metabolism, metabolic rate implies the frequency of earning and spending of the energy of an individual. Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the main aspect of metabolic rate, and its measurement shows the healthiness of an individual. The basal metabolic index is another synonymous measurement of the metabolic rate of an individual. It would also be important to notice that the metabolic rate is an individual-specific characteristic that indicates the efficiency of the body systems of a particular person.
Figure 02: Metabolic Rate
One of the most important indications of the metabolic rate is the longevity of an individual as these are directly related. Metabolic rate changes among individuals due to many reasons such as diet, regular exercising patterns, lifestyles, inherited diseases, drugs, and many other causes.
What are the Similarities Between Metabolism and Metabolic Rate?
- Both enzymes and hormones affect metabolism and metabolic rate.
- Furthermore, both depend on body
What is the Difference Between Metabolism and Metabolic Rate?
Metabolism is the extraction and spending of energy in an organism while metabolic rate is the frequency of such activities. Thus, this is the key difference between metabolism and metabolic rate. Furthermore, metabolic pathways are not different among organisms while metabolic rates are highly different among individuals. Hence, this is also a difference between metabolism and metabolic rate.
Moreover, metabolic rate directly affects the maximum potential lifespan, whereas metabolism affects the life, but not lifespan. Therefore, this is another difference between metabolism and metabolic rate.
Summary – Metabolism vs Metabolic Rate
Metabolism is the set of chemical reactions occurring inside an organism. On the other hand, metabolic rate is the frequency of metabolic reactions. Most metabolic reactions are similar among different types of organisms. However, the metabolic rate is different from organism to organism. Furthermore, metabolism does not affect the life span of an organism. But the metabolic rate has an effect on the life span of an organism. Thus, this is the summary of the difference between metabolism and metabolic rate.
Reference:
1. “Metabolism.” Better Health Channel, Department of Health & Human Services, 31 May 2014, Available here.
2. “Metabolic Rate.” Khan Academy, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Metabolism” By Vtvu – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Resting Metabolic Rat’ By Bmetabolism – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia