Metabolism
Seems very obvious to most.
BMR, calorie intake, especially macro split and activity/exercise levels.
Determined mostly by factors such as your age, body composition, height, meal frequency and biological sex as well as circadian rhythm.
May be impacted by exercise, your circadian rhythm and hormones and related conditions such as menopause.
See body max index (BMI), basal metabolic rate (BMR), total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and weight.
Also see eating patterns and fibre.
The thermic effect of food (TEF) is the energy required to actually metabolise and digest food; calories are burnt in the process of breaking down, absorbing, consuming (and potentially storing) and disposing of macro and micronutrients in the food and drink we consume. TEF Overall represents around 10% of your overall calorie intake. TEF is also known as specific dynamic action (SDA), dietary induced thermogenesis (DIT) or simply thermogenesis.
Not considered part of basal metabolic rate (BMR). Insulin sensitivity plays a part (so diabetics may not benefit).
For specific macros, it is approximately this percentage of intake calories (in other words, you burn this amount of what you are consuming in order to consume it);
- alcohol: TFE: 22.5% (at 7 calories per gram, this results in an intake of 5.43 calories) - note that anything you eat while drinking alcohol is mostly converted to fat
- carbohydrate: 5-10% (at 3.9 calories per gram, this results in an intake of 3.6 calories in the best case, 3.8 in the worst)
- fat: TFE: 0-3% (at 9 calories per gram, this results in an intake of 3.6 calories in the best case)
- insoluble fibre: TFE: 0% as insoluble fibre has no calories
- soluble fibre: ?? dependent on type, inulin has approximately 1.5 calories per gram1, sorbitol has between 2.5 and 3.4 calories per gram
- protein: TFE: 20-30% (at 4 calories per gram, this results in an intake of ??? calories)
Patterns
Eating little and often does not result in a different TEF or BMR.
Anabolic
Catabolic
Breakdown of proteins (and other substances?)
- Lysine (involved in the uptake of essential minerals and the production of carnitine which plays a key role in fatty acid metabolism).
Supplements
References
Metadata
Created: 2026-06-15
Last Updated: 2026-08-07