Fasting and hypocaloric diets are known to induce a reduction of triiodothyronine (T3) and to increase reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) in normal and obese subjects. The effect of 8-day fasting was evaluated on T3, thyroxine (T4), free T4, rT3, TSH, immunoreactive insulin (IRI), thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) and glycemia in 21 obese subjects (5 males, 16 females) grouped according to the… Read More

The HDL-cholesterol level was found to decrease during the first week of therapeutic starvation in hyperlipoproteinaemic (hypertriglyceridaemic), diabetic (non-insulin dependent) patients. The possible causes of the finding are discussed, and the view is expressed that the fall in HDL given no cause for discontinuing the caloric restriction or starvation as the therapeutic measures in obesity… Read More

Renal handling of acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate was studied in 12 obese subjects undergoing total starvation. Simultaneously, the acetoacetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and inulin clearance rates were measured, and acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate reabsorption rates were calculated. Renal clearance of blood acetoacetate and beta-hydroxybutyrate remained constant. In contrast,… Read More

Forearm muscle metabolism was studied in eight obese subjects after an overnight, 3 and 24 day fast. Arterio-deep-venous differences of oxygen, carbon dioxide, glucose, lactate, pyruvate, free fatty acids, acetoacetate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate with simultaneous forearm blood flow were measured. Rates of metabolite utilization and production were thus estimated. Oxygen consumption and lactate… Read More