Metabolic Disorders

Metabolic disorders are a broad group of conditions that disrupt the normal biochemical processes by which the body converts food into energy, builds and breaks down macromolecules, and eliminates waste. They are generally classified as inherited (also called inborn errors of metabolism), which result from genetic mutations affecting specific enzymes or transport proteins in metabolic pathways — leading to toxic accumulation of substrates, deficiency of essential products, or diversion into alternative pathways — and acquired, which develop from the interaction between genetic predisposition and environmental, dietary, and lifestyle factors, and include conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome. Because metabolic processes underlie energy production, neurotransmitter synthesis, and hormonal signaling, metabolic disorders often produce systemic effects, including neurological and psychiatric manifestations.