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What is an Anabolic State?

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During an anabolic state, tissues found within the human body obtain energy for growth and maintenance. Anabolism requires energy to occur, unlike catabolism, which actually provides the energy source for the anabolic state to take place.

Understanding Anabolism

The opposite of breaking down, defined as building up, serves as a perfect explanation of anabolism. The anabolic state acts as the complete opposite of the catabolic state, one that requires no energy to occur.

Through the initial catabolic process of breaking down larger food molecules into smaller energy sources, the body oxidizes these tiny chemical strands and uses most of the energy to drive anabolism forward.

Picture a single sphere entering the human body. The digestion process breaks this one object into many small spheres. Then, muscles, which have endured physical exercise or work, absorb these small objects, rebuilding them into the original single sphere. The balance of these two processes enables the body to maintain healthy, normal physical function.

Striving for The Anabolic State

In order for the body to encounter an anabolic state, it must consume a source of energy. Foods or supplements with helpful nutrients enable muscle tissue to receive said energy. However, when individuals do not consume enough food, a higher rate of catabolism will occur. This effect ultimately harms healthy muscle and body tissue after extended periods of time.

In extreme cases of self starvation, the body begins to deplete its essential and healthy fat deposits along with muscle tissue in order to survive.

Realistically, if humans were able to maintain a constant state of pure and healthy anabolism, everyone would have bulging muscle mass on every region of their bodies. Many professional sports athletes have used anabolic-inducing drugs or supplements that promote absorption of food energy and protein into muscle tissue. Several of these individuals have been caught, suspended or penalized.

Benefiting From Anabolism

The anabolic state helps people achieve their fitness goals. Not only does anabolism help muscle tissue grow and maintain a healthy state, bone density also has the ability to increase through the anabolic process.

In order to help the energy-needy areas within the human body, proper diet and exercise remain of high importance. Those who face more physical activity will generally need more energy in order to counteract the catabolic state. Some forms of exercise actually break down muscle tissue and release hormones that further act to deplete energy storage.

People who intend to lose weight, gain muscle or maintain a desirable physique all similarly benefit from consuming nutrient-dense foods before and after physical activity. This helps provide the body with energy which will eventually reach muscle tissue.

As mentioned in the previous section, the balance between anabolism and catabolism remains highly crucial for both those involved in regular physical activities and for others who do not endure much physical activity. Hormonal imbalances do pose the threat of increasing or decreasing either step of these metabolic processes.

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