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Default Operational Mode

Meaning

The Default Operational Mode refers to the baseline, energetically sustainable physiological state of an organism when not actively responding to an acute stressor or specific metabolic demand. In hormonal health, this mode reflects the steady-state set points of key endocrine axes, such as the HPA axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, which govern metabolism and stress resilience. Chronic allostatic load or persistent low-grade inflammation can pathologically shift this default mode, leading to suboptimal function and accelerated aging.