How Long Does It Actually Take To Speed Up Your Metabolism? An MD Explains

Metabolic health is quite a complex process with plenty of unknowns. One question about it that gets floated around often: How long does it take to "speed up" your metabolism and start to optimize your metabolic rate?

Before we dive into timing logistics, let's make one thing clear: Your metabolism will slow down with age, and that's normal. 

This natural change is due to stress, inactivity, and potential shifts in diet or lifestyle factors like sleeping less, explains functional and integrative doctor Bindiya Gandhi, M.D.

Now for the timeline: "If someone's metabolism has been off for a while, and they have underlying hormonal issues, changing the conversation may take months," Gandhi says.

However, she notes that many patients she has worked with start seeing improvements in just two weeks when they start making lifestyle changes.

Below, she shares her tips to get started optimizing your metabolic rate. 

Speeding up your metabolism can take anywhere from two weeks to a few months depending on lifestyle changes and underlying hormonal imbalances.