The study of how the body’s metabolic processes, including energy expenditure, glucose regulation, and fat storage, are temporally regulated by the internal circadian clock and external environmental cues. This field recognizes that the efficiency and sensitivity of metabolic pathways, many of which are hormonally mediated, fluctuate significantly across the 24-hour day. Understanding chrono-metabolism is vital for timing interventions like nutrition and exercise to optimize hormonal health.
Origin
The term combines “chrono,” meaning time, and “metabolism,” referring to the sum of chemical processes in the body. This discipline stems from the field of chronobiology, which studies periodic phenomena in living organisms, and its intersection with endocrinology and metabolic science. The discovery of core clock genes provided the molecular basis for this temporal regulation of physiology.
Mechanism
The suprachachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus acts as the master clock, synchronizing peripheral clocks in metabolic organs like the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. Key metabolic hormones, such as insulin, cortisol, and ghrelin, exhibit strong circadian rhythms that dictate nutrient partitioning and energy balance. Disruptions to this temporal harmony, often due to irregular sleep-wake cycles, can lead to metabolic dysregulation and hormonal imbalance.
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