Metabolic starvation

What is metabolic starvation?
This is a state of internal body starvation that happens in the obese due to high amounts of insulin as a result of the very common insulin resistance that affects up to 71 percent of the population. In fact, misunderstanding of this internal starvation has lead to our popular culture of blame the victim attitude for obesity and weight gain.

According to Dr. Prab R. Tumpati, MD, founder of W8MD medical weight loss centers of America, this state of starvation in the obese is what leads to food cravings, over eating, and weight gain that happens in the overweight or obese.

Why does one go in to starvation when they are obese?
This paradoxical state of starvation in the obese happens due to the actions of insulin on the fatty acid metabolism. Insulin controls the storage of excess energy in the form of adipose tissue by promoting lipogenesis when there is plenty of glucose available. For example, right after having a starchy meal such as a high glycemic meal, the levels of glucose raise rapidly which in turn promotes the release of insulin.

Storage of fat stimulated by insulin
The high amounts of insulin and glucose simultaneously start the storage process of excess energy via a hormone called lipoprotein lipase (LPL). 3 - 4 hours later, after the glucose and insulin levels fall back to normal, the other hormone called hormone sensitive lipase (HPL), starting the process of using up some of the fat in between meals.

How does insulin resistance lead to metabolic starvation?
By definition, insulin resistance[[ means that a person is not responding this anabolic hormone called [[insulin that is important in both fat and glucose metabolism. This leads to compensatory increase in insulin leading to high amounts of circulating insulin.

How does high insulin levels lead to starvation?
This high levels of insulin, because insulin keeps the body in storage only mode, leads to starvation in between the meals as the people who are insulin resistance go in to this state of storage only mode.

Also see metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and causes of weight gain.