BASAL METABOLIC RATE MEASUREMENT

What is Basal Metabolism?

Basal Metabolic Rhythm is the energy that our body consumes at rest in a day to perform its vital functions, such as regulating body temperature, respiration, digestion and heart function. More simply, it's the calories we burn in a day if we are lying down and doing nothing. to lose the pounds he wants.

 

How is Basal Metabolism measured?

Measuring Basal Metabolism is a simple test in which you lie on a bed or sit comfortably in a chair, wear a mask that is connected via a tube to a device, and breathe normally for 15 minutes. The device measures the volume of oxygen you consume and the carbon dioxide you produce and in this way the energy consumed by your body, ie your metabolism, is estimated with great accuracy.

 

What Factors Affect Basic Metabolism?

Basal Metabolism is different for each person, as it is influenced by many factors.
- Age: As a person gets older, his Basic Metabolism decreases. Thus, in adults it decreases by about 2% every decade and especially in the nature of menopause in women.
- Genetic predisposition: Some people are genetically predisposed.
- Gender: Normally men have a higher Basic Metabolism than women because they have more muscle mass and increased testosterone.
- Body composition: The higher the percentage of muscle mass the higher it is and The Basal Metabolism for this we take care in an effort of weight loss not to reduce muscle mass. This is the reason why men have a higher Basal Metabolism than women and athletes than women who lead a sedentary life.
- Special situations: Such situations are pregnancy, where there is an increase in Basal Metabolism due to the increase in blood volume, uterus, placenta and fetus, breastfeeding but also stress and injury.
- Nutrition: Fasting, heavy fasting and exhausting diets reduce the Basal Metabolism by up to 20%. Also, frequent alternations of food deprivation and abuse and constant weight fluctuations (yo-yo effect) bring about significant long-term reduction.

In our office the measurement is done with indirect calorimetry and then the diet program is adjusted by the dietitian of our team.