Metabolic Disorders
Your metabolism uses chemicals to break down food you eat into sugars and acids. These sugars and acids can provide you with immediate energy, or this energy can be stored in your tissues.
Metabolic disorders damage your body by hurting your ability to get energy from food. Your metabolism is also involved in eliminating waste from your body, circulating blood and controlling body temperature.
Metabolic disorders are caused by defective genes, often inherited, that disrupt metabolism. Early diagnosis is helpful in most effectively treating a metabolic disorder.
There have been advances in the diagnosis and treatment of metabolic disorders. There are thousands of metabolic disorders with a wide array of symptoms and treatments. See your doctor with any questions about metabolic disorders.
Recently Answered
- Q How common are inherited metabolic disorders?
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Inherited metabolic disorders are more common than you might think. There are thousands of genetic mutations that can each cause a different metabolic disorder. Nearly one out of every 4,000 people has a metabolic disorder of some kind. Full Answer
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- Q Can inherited metabolic disorders be prevented?
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Inherited metabolic disorders are the result of a genetic mutation, which makes prevention difficult. The gene defect responsible for inherited metabolic disorders passes from both parents to their child. However, family members of patients with... Full Answer
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- Q How can a special diet treat an inherited metabolic disorder?
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Inherited metabolic disorders affect the ability of the body to make or break down food compounds from fats, proteins, or carbohydrates. Implementing a special diet is one of the main courses of treatment for many inherited metabolic disorders. By... Full Answer
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- Q How do inherited metabolic disorders affect the body?
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Inherited metabolic disorders affect the body's ability to make or break down food compounds like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. These compounds are essential to the body, helping it to grow and develop. When the body has too much or too little of... Full Answer
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- Q How are blood tests used to diagnose inherited metabolic disorders?
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In many cases, doctors will use a blood test to diagnose inherited metabolic disorders. Because these disorders are the result of a genetic mutation, doctors can examine the blood to see if a defect is present. In other cases, specific chemicals in the... Full Answer
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- Q Are there alternative treatments for inherited metabolic disorders?
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In addition to medications, many patients with inherited metabolic disorders benefit from special diets, vitamins, and physical therapy. In certain cases, bone marrow transplants have been shown to effectively slow or stop the disorder, too. Speak to... Full Answer
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- Q How do other illnesses affect inherited metabolic disorders?
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For the most part, other illnesses do not affect inherited metabolic disorders. In many cases, people with a metabolic disorder can manage their condition with various treatment options, such as special diets, vitamins, surgery, or medications. However,... Full Answer
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- Q What types of inherited metabolic disorders are there?
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In order for the body to break down compounds in food, it needs certain chemical substances called enzymes. However, in the case of inherited metabolic disorders, a genetic abnormality causes certain enzymes either to function abnormally or to be missing... Full Answer
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- Q How are inherited metabolic disorders diagnosed?
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Most inherited metabolic disorders are found during routine tests and examinations done right after a child is born. Doctors can perform a blood test or use a tissue sample to determine whether a specific enzyme is missing or abnormal. Unfortunately,... Full Answer
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- Q How do medications treat inherited metabolic disorders?
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Depending on the type of inherited metabolic disorder, certain treatments and medications can help to manage and control the disease. Special diets aim to help a patient avoid the food substances that cause the disorder, and vitamins and medications can... Full Answer
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