Hormones control catabolism. Catabolism is a part of normal metabolic function and catabolic refers to the bodily status and processes that are breaking down proteins, stored sugar, fats or tissues into smaller units such fatty acids or cells, to release energy for proper maintenance of muscle and other organ activity.
Catabolism acts as a negative process with adverse effects when the body has an extremely high rate of catabolism, as opposed to anabolism – thereby depleting fat deposits and muscle tissue and until deposits found within the body become depleted.
This process takes larger structures like proteins, fats or tissues and breaks them down into smaller units such as cells or fatty acids.