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Fasting State

Meaning

The fasting state is the physiological condition achieved after a prolonged period, typically eight to twelve hours, without food intake, leading to significant shifts in energy substrate utilization and endocrine signaling. During this state, the body transitions from relying on exogenous glucose for energy to mobilizing endogenous reserves, primarily hepatic glycogen and adipose tissue triglycerides. This metabolic switch is tightly regulated by the counter-regulatory hormones, notably a decline in insulin and a rise in glucagon, profoundly influencing overall metabolic flexibility and cellular autophagy.