Anabolism
The set of metabolic building reactions that assemble complex molecules (muscle, stores) from simple ones, using energy; the opposite of catabolism.
Anabolism is the building phase of metabolism: synthesis of muscle protein, storage of glycogen and fat, growth and repair of tissues. It consumes energy (the ATP produced by catabolism).
Main anabolic hormones: insulin (storage), growth hormone, testosterone, IGF-1.
An original angle (anabolism is not just « gaining muscle »): in everyday language, anabolism means weight training. In reality it is a whole-body process: healing a wound, rebuilding reserves, renewing cells, children’s growth: all of it is anabolic.
The myth of the post-workout anabolic window: the fitness world has oversold the idea that you must « take advantage » of a short window after training to maximise anabolism. Research shows that protein synthesis stays elevated for 24 to 48 hours after a workout: your total intake over the day matters far more than timing to the minute.
The modern imbalance: our lifestyle (constant snacking, sedentary habits, chronically stimulated insulin) keeps us in a state that is too anabolic, too focused on storage. Paradoxically, a few « catabolic breaks » (light fasting, exercising on an empty stomach) rebalance things and trigger cellular clean-up (autophagy).
A healthy rhythm alternates anabolism (after meals, and during deep sleep when growth hormone is released) with catabolism (fasted, during exertion). Metabolic health comes from this flexibility: being able to switch from one mode to the other.