Why are enzymes important to metabolic functioning?
Enzymes are biological catalysts,(which lower the energy activation barrier for reactions to take place). It effectively speeds up both catabolic and anabolic reactions(breaking down and forming substrate complexes). With a lower energy activation barrier, the metabolic reactions that require the breaking down and/or forming of substrates, do not need the high energy requirement for the reaction to take place, and so can occur more efficiently.
