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Related Concept Videos

Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation01:24

Metabolic States of the Body: Fasting and Starvation

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During the initial hours of fasting, the body uses up its glycogen stores as an energy source. Once these glycogen reserves are depleted, the body begins breaking down stored triglycerides and structural proteins. During this stage, glycerol becomes a key substrate for gluconeogenesis, while free fatty acids undergo beta-oxidation to provide energy for tissues, such as skeletal muscle. In the fasting state, the body spares protein breakdown as much as possible to conserve muscle and structural...
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Regulation of Food Intake01:30

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Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
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Metabolic States of the Body: The Postabsorptive State01:18

Metabolic States of the Body: The Postabsorptive State

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The postabsorptive state usually starts about four hours after a meal and lasts until the next meal is eaten. During this time, the digestive system stops absorbing nutrients, and the body uses stored energy reserves to maintain stable blood glucose levels.
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Hypoglycemia and Glucagon01:15

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Without prolonged fasting, healthy individuals maintain blood glucose levels above 3.5 mM due to a well-adapted neuroendocrine counterregulatory system that effectively prevents acute hypoglycemia, a potentially life-threatening condition. The primary clinical scenarios for hypoglycemia encompass diabetes treatment, inappropriate production of endogenous insulin or insulin-like substances by tumors, and the use of glucose-lowering agents in non-diabetic individuals. Notably, hypoglycemia in the...
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Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis01:37

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The response to stress—be it physical or psychological, acute or chronic—involves activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is part of the neuroendocrine system because it involves both neuronal and hormonal communication. Its function is to regulate homeostatic systems—metabolic, cardiovascular, and immune—providing the necessary means to respond to a stressor.
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Glucose Homeostasis: Pancreatic Islets and Insulin Secretion01:27

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The pancreatic islets comprising only 1%-2% of the volume are highly vascularized and innervated mini-organs. They contain five endocrine cell types, including β cells that secrete insulin, which is synthesized as a single polypeptide chain, preproinsulin, processed to proinsulin, and finally to insulin and C-peptide. This process is complex and regulated, involving the Golgi complex, the endoplasmic reticulum, and the secretory granules of the β cell.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Assessing Cellular Stress and Inflammation in Discrete Oxytocin-secreting Brain Nuclei in the Neonatal Rat Before and After First Colostrum Feeding
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Neuroendocrine adaptations to starvation.

Tânia Amorim1, Anamil Khiyami2, Tariq Latif3

  • 1Neuroendocrinology Unit, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for Human Integrative Physiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.

Psychoneuroendocrinology
|August 13, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Human bodies have evolved hormonal responses to starvation, conserving energy by downregulating non-essential functions like reproduction. This review details neuroendocrine adaptations to undernutrition and their clinical effects.

Keywords:
AmenorrheaAnorexia nervosaBone marrow adipose tissueGrowth hormone resistance

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Last Updated: Jul 19, 2025

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Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Human Evolution
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Human evolution is marked by periods of famine and starvation.
  • Physiological adaptations evolved to conserve energy during periods of undernutrition.
  • These adaptations prioritize survival over non-essential functions like reproduction.

Conclusions:

  • Neuroendocrine adaptations are crucial for survival during starvation.
  • Understanding these responses, particularly in conditions like anorexia nervosa, is vital for clinical management.
  • Further research into the clinical effects of chronic undernutrition is warranted.