noun
basal metabolism
Medical and health term for the minimum energy the body uses at rest to maintain vital functions. Often used in contexts like diet, exercise, and metabolic rate.
基礎代謝が高い人は太りにくいと言われている。
People with a high basal metabolism are said to be less likely to gain weight.
ダイエット中は基礎代謝を上げる運動
During a diet, exercise that raises basal metabolism is effective.
代謝 is the general term for metabolism, while 基礎代謝 specifically refers to the basal metabolic rate at rest.
Compound of 基礎 (kiso, 'foundation, base') and 代謝 (taisha, 'metabolism'). The term is a direct translation of the English medical term 'basal metabolism'.