What is basal metabolism?
Basal metabolism is the number of calories our body needs each day to maintain those physiological functions that are essential for life. It is considered the energy expenditure required by our organs, tissues, etc., without including physical activity, for example, to breathe and pump blood, among other functions.
Basal metabolism can represent a large percentage of the total energy a person needs each day, even exceeding, in most cases, the expenditure produced by physical activity. Between 60% and 70% corresponds to this parameter.
What factors affect basal metabolism?
Basal metabolism, or BMR, can vary depending on one or more factors to which we are exposed:
The individual’s sex. Men generally have a higher basal metabolism than women. In other words, they need more calories to maintain their vital functions. This is largely due to body composition. Men naturally have a higher percentage of muscle tissue than women. Muscle tissue is more active and therefore requires a greater number of calories to maintain. That is why it is commonly said that, to increase your metabolism, you should gain muscle mass.
Body size also exerts a great influence. As a person’s body becomes larger, the caloric expenditure it requires is proportional. Age also plays a very important role. Adults have less metabolic activity than children. For example, while they are growing, children need more energy to carry out this physiological process.
What other, more specific factors can influence it?
Other factors that influence the calculation of basal metabolism include, for example, pregnancy and breastfeeding. During this period, as a result of fetal development, a woman’s basal expenditure increases.
Hormonal changes and fever can also have an influence.
How do you determine my metabolism?
There are different formulas and calculators that can estimate this number of calories. One of the most widely used is the Harris-Benedict formula.
To do this, we must enter our data into one of the following formulas:
Man
Basal Metabolism = 66.47 + 13.75 · Weight in kilograms + 5 · Height in centimeters – 6.75 · Age
Woman
BMR = 655.09 + 9.56 · Weight in kg + 1.85 · Height in cm – 4.7 · Age
