Metabolic disorder

A metabolic disorder can happen when abnormal chemical reactions in the body alter the normal metabolic process. It can also be defined as inherited single gene anomaly, most of which are autosomal recessive.

Symptoms

Some of the possible symptoms that can occur with metabolic disorders are: lethargy, weight loss, jaundice, seizures, to name a few. This would be indicative that the disorder was not detected upon initial screening, further the symptoms expressed would vary with the type of metabolic disorder. There are four categories of symptoms-acute symptoms, late-onset acute symptoms, progressive general symptoms and permanent symptoms.

Causes

Inherited metabolic disorders are one cause of metabolic disorders, and occur when a defective gene causes an enzyme deficiency. These diseases, of which there are many subtypes, are known as inborn errors of metabolism. Metabolic diseases can also occur when the liver or pancreas do not function properly.

Types

The principal classes of metabolic disorders are: