The fundamental physiological state defined by the relationship between energy intake, derived from consumed macronutrients, and energy expenditure, which encompasses basal metabolic rate, thermogenesis, and physical activity. Maintaining a neutral energy balance is prerequisite for stable body weight and metabolic homeostasis, whereas chronic imbalance drives shifts in body composition and hormonal milieu.
Origin
This term is a core concept in thermodynamics applied directly to human metabolism, first formally articulated in the study of nutrition and physiology. It is a direct translation of the physical law of conservation of energy into the context of the living organism.
Mechanism
The body employs a complex neuroendocrine network, including hormones like leptin, ghrelin, and insulin, to continuously monitor and adjust both energy intake and expenditure. These signals communicate the status of energy stores to the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates appetite, satiety, and the overall metabolic rate, striving to keep the system in a state of equilibrium.
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