By boosting your metabolism, you will identify the following changes in your life: You are more energetic and less tired and sleepy. Get the best food tips and diet advice every day. Crash diets and other calorie-restricted diets can slow your metabolism. But even if your symptoms indicated that you have a slow metabolism, you can CHANGE it! Fatigue. † This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA. Talk to your doctor if you think this is the case because there are treatments that can help. Symptoms of fast metabolism. LEARN MORE: Balance Your Cortisol Levels With This Meal Plan. We've consulted with our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians to bring you informed recommendations for food products, health aids and nutritional goods to safely and successfully guide you toward making better diet and nutrition choices. If you've been eating well and exercising and still packing on the pounds, it could be your metabolism. Here's how to fight back against extra pounds. How to Speed up Metabolism. Because of this, whenever you have cold hands, feet, ears, tip of the nose, etc., it means you’re relying on adrenaline to produce energy instead of thyroid (which can also mean you have elevated levels of lactic acid). A slow heart rate can be an indicator of strong cardiovascular fitness. Despite consuming enough food, your body may still be stuck using the stress metabolism, thinking it doesn’t have enough energy and needs to stay in survival and conservation mode. And while many many doctors rely solely on blood tests to determine metabolism and health, these aren’t always reliable. Your age, your diet, and your lifestyle can all send your body's calorie burn screeching to a halt. No matter you eat well and exercise hard, but you still gain weight unnecessarily. In times of extreme stress, you may experience slower metabolism and temporary symptoms. With your body burning energy at a slower rate, this will cause you to feel fatigued more frequently. Unexplained Weight Gain. Too little thyroid hormone, which regulates your metabolism, can cause poor memory and make you forgetful. Chronic Fatigue. 1. The biggest sign of a slow metabolism is unexplained weight gain. Plus, ways to keep your calorie-burning engine going strong. Shop early to ensure your items arrive in time. It’s true that testosterone naturally begins declining once you hit your 30s. If even after getting a good night’s sleep you wake up groggy or feel tired the whole day, your... 3. Now that we have seen a few of the symptoms of a slow metabolism, how can you get it back to normal? Unnecessary Weight Gain. 2. Confusion. Aside from weight troubles, fatigue is the most common sign of a slow metabolism says Heather L. Hofflich, DO, endocrinologist, and professor of medicine at UC San Diego. Some signs of slow metabolism and sluggish thyroid include: Difficulty losing weight; Feeling cold; craving warmth; Physical stiffness and inflexibility; Weak adrenals We strive to only recommend products that adhere to our philosophy of eating better while still enjoying what you eat. Coma. Some common changes include more brittle nails and increased ridges to your nails, says Susan Besser, MD. More frequent constipation. The 50 Best Ways to Boost Your Metabolism, 17 Surprising Reasons Why You're Gaining Weight, Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest food news delivered straight to your inbox, 21 Warning Signs You Need to Change Your Diet—Fast, 22 Naturally Moisturizing Foods To Eat When You Have Dry Skin. This makes your metabolism slow down, affecting you entire body. A slow metabolism can impact other processes of the body, including how often you hit the restroom. Constipation will be gone. Slow Metabolism: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Metabolism is a process that breaks down energy from the food for sustaining life processes. When your healthy metabolism is low and your body is simply performing the bare minimum functions to survive, energetically expensive functions, like hair growth, are reduced. © 2020 Galvanized Media. Remember that a low metabolism isn’t necessarily just due to genetics or not eating enough. "[Gaining weight] very frequently goes unnoticed and is blamed on a presumed sense of increased appetite particularly among women," explains Mashfika N. Alam, MBBS, general practitioner at Icliniq. Having a slow metabolism comes with several health risks. The recipe for boosting metabolism is shrouded in myth—and misconceptions. You will feel less cold. Both men and women can benefit from increased testosterone levels at different stages of life, however without proper... For men, few things are more devastating than the first signs of hair loss. You could have a sluggish metabolism. 1. If you have a hard time trying to lose weight, despite following strict diets and counting calories, chances are you have a slow metabolism. Since your body isn't properly utilizing insulin, your cells can't absorb the glucose in your body, leading to sugar and other carb cravings, she explains. Also known as underactive thyroid disease, hypothyroidism is fairly common. Slow metabolism leads to a slower and less efficient conversion of food into energy. The same processes that impact your skin and nails also affect your hair. If you experience any of these, be sure to visit your doctor to get your thyroid tested—you could have hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, which is ultimately responsible for your metabolism. If you’re dealing with constipation, diarrhea or even simply only having bowel movements once every two to three days or more, this is a good sign that your gut health and metabolism are poor. If it’s slower than this, it might be a sign of a low metabolism. One sign of insulin resistance is a constant craving for sugar and carbohydrates. Copyright © 2021 UMZU. If you have any of these symptoms, your health will improve drastically by taking the appropriate actions to lower adrenaline, increase thyroid and boost your metabolism. Slow metabolism can produce symptoms in all the body’s organ system, and in women the clinical picture may include menstrual changes. Being cold all the time is a symptom of hypothyroidism, which also slows down your metabolism. All Rights Reserved. When your body is producing energy inefficiently, it’s doing this through what we call the stress metabolism. Here, we examine the signs and symptoms of fast metabolism and ways to slow it done. Here are some of the biggest warning signs you have a slow metabolism. Lethargy & Chronic Fatigue. Can’t shake that feeling of being tired and worn out? Symptoms of Slow Metabolism. Have you been counting calories meticulously, hitting the gym, getting plenty of sleep, and still not seeing the scale budge? The longer you’ve had a slow metabolism, the more causes you are likely to find yourself with, and the LONGER it will take to turn it around. Since hypothyroidism slows down processes in your body, it's no surprise your mood can take a hit, too. All Rights Reserved. While... 2. If you look up metabolism in a dictionary it is described as a life sustaining function. On the other hand, people with a fast metabolism may show the following symptoms: Difficulty putting on weight. When you eat too few calories on a daily basis—and that typically is 25 percent less than what you really need—your thyroid takes note. Your metabolism is the process by which your body burns energy for basic bodily functions such as your heartbeat, brain function, and breathing. The liver produces bile that has a slight laxative effect, thus promoting regular bowel movements. Not only can a slow metabolism make you gain weight, but it can also make it super difficult to lose weight even if you've been counting calories and exercising extremely diligently. Because of this, your waking temperature is often indicative of how much healthy thyroid metabolism you have as a baseline. STAY INFORMED: Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest food news delivered straight to your inbox. Once you’ve discovered the cause(s) that are contributing to your slow metabolism, it’s time to make some changes. Because of this, it’s also helpful to measure your temperature before and after meals. If your metabolism is lagging, and... 3. When you have a slow metabolism, your cells aren't as active as they should be, which means they aren't getting the proper blood supply. This involves high levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, which tell the cells to produce energy quickly, but inefficiently, resulting in a lower total energy status and production of those unhealthy by-products we mentioned before, like lactic acid. The biggest sign of a slow metabolism is unexplained weight gain. The thyroid gland is the 'master control gland,'" explains Dr. Besser. As such, some people with low levels of thyroid hormones may feel cold all … Your entire body needs some energy to … 2. Metabolism is the process through which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. What are the signs? Of course, one solution is buying a moisturizer, but a more natural, diet-based intervention is to stock up on these 22 Naturally Moisturizing Foods To Eat When You Have Dry Skin. In the meantime, you can make immediate changes with the help of The 50 Best Ways to Boost Your Metabolism. Also as your body tries to conserve heat, you don't sweat as much. As a result, individuals affected by this condition may experience weight gain, tiredness, cold intolerance, constipation, … But, as you age, it could be a sign of trouble — and even lead to chronic disease. Actually, this ties into the number one cause of a slow metabolism: very low-calorie dieting. As time goes on, this increased adrenaline continues to push thyroid hormone down, causing your body to rely more and more on the stress metabolism instead of the healthy metabolism. *Note: In some cases, stress hormones can still be high upon waking, skewing this measurement. Weight Gain. 1. Quick Fact According to researchers at the University of Vermont, the metabolic rates of the majority of the population (96%) varies by around 200-300 kcal, which is equivalent to 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 3 Oreos or half of a large slice of pizza. Besides a slow metabolism, there are also 17 Surprising Reasons Why You're Gaining Weight. then there is a problem with your metabolism. If someone has a slow metabolism, they may experience symptoms such as "weight gain, they would be very fatigued, [have] low energy, and they're going to … If you're cold all the time, odds are your thyroid isn't as active as it should be—and neither is your metabolism. Ideally, you should wake up around 98.6 degrees F orally (37 degrees C), or around 98 degrees under your armpit (36.6 degrees F). #1 Why is Your Metabolism Important?Your metabolism works as the driving force behind your body. This is because the flow of energy through your cells and their ability to create a lot of energy easily and efficiently while producing helpful by-products dictates their state of health. Low levels of thyroid hormone could mean low levels of sex hormones like testosterone, which may impact your ability to get in the mood. Similarly to how a slow metabolism affects your skin, you may also notice changes in your nails due to lack of nutrients being absorbed by your body. If the reproductive hormones aren't being produced normally, menstrual problems can occur." When your thyroid levels are extremely low, this is called myxedema. If you are not digesting, assimilating and eliminating properly you will have difficulty losing weight and experience many of the symptoms of low thyroid. That means when metabolism is low and your body is having a hard time creating energy, your nail growth slows to a halt. If metabolism isn't to blame, your GI problems could also be caused by these 13 Foods That Cause Digestive Problems. Difficulty getting up in the morning. "Heat is generated with body's metabolic activity," Dr. Alam says. Is a Slow Heart Rate Good or Bad for You? A slow metabolism can impact your hair's ability to grow and regenerate. Here's the truth about your calorie burn. "It takes longer for food to travel through the GI tract and be properly digested, thus constipation occurs." It happens just because of hypothyroidism disease. As we mentioned, your metabolism is mostly out of your control. You immediately begin to panic and ponde... Soy Is Causing Fertility and Sexual Health Problems for Americans, Save 15% on Products with the U Save Club, Balance Your Cortisol Levels With This Meal Plan, 10 Signs of Low Testosterone | Hypogonadism, 30 Foods That Boost Your Testosterone Levels | Grocery List for Men, Natural Hair Regrowth: Hair Loss Has Finally Been Solved. The problem is, the more sugar and refined carbs you eat, the more your body can't process them, and the more likely you are to pack on excess fat, experience energy slumps, and feel fatigued. 9 Triggers That Will Slow Your Metabolism. In this article, we will discuss some common symptoms of slow metabolism and provide suggestions for stimulating a sluggish metabolism. If your body keeps putting on weight for no apparent reason, the trouble could be that your metabolism has slowed. Not to get too graphic here, but your bowel movements should also be full, soft and easy to pass. By Joy Stephenson-Laws JD, Founder. Adrenaline and cortisol have vasoconstriction effects in the body, meaning that they tighten blood vessels to reduce blood flow to less necessary parts of the body — like the extremities — in favor of the more important areas like the muscles and brain. Your metabolic rate determines the number of calories you burn to produce energy. Aside from weight troubles, fatigue is the most common sign of a slow metabolism says Heather L. Hofflich, DO, endocrinologist, and professor of medicine at UC San Diego. "If your body is resistant to insulin that causes chronically slow metabolism.". Take your calorie-burning power to the next level. And the operative word is potential here, since there are many, many reasons why you might be having trouble losing weight. Your metabolic … Weight gain is just one of the many signs of a slow metabolism. A slow metabolism can lead to a decreased core body temperature, she says, which is another sign of hypothyroidism. "It helps to regulate other hormonal functions including reproductive hormonal functions. It may leave you tired, increase your blood cholesterol levels , and make it harder for you to lose weight ( 7 ). It provides you with enough energy to keep your body moving and functioning each day. Weight gain if the calorie intake in food is constantly higher than required. We’ve even seen clients who claimed to not cut their toenails for over two years — that’s how bad it can get. This a two-way street in that poor gut health often causes low metabolism, and a low metabolism often perpetuates poor gut health. Finally, very similar to hair growth, nail growth is another area that is energetically expensive but not necessary for survival. When the gut is healthy, you should have regular bowel movements each day, or at the very least, every other day. 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