Hormonal
An acute increase in fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) in response to low-protein overfeeding serves as a biomarker identifying individuals with a 'thrifty' metabolism who are susceptible to weight gain.
If you struggle with weight gain despite similar efforts to others, your body's hormonal response (specifically FGF21) to certain dietary stresses might be the cause. This isn't about willpower; it's a physiological 'thrifty' phenotype. Future testing may allow you to identify this susceptibility early, shifting focus from generic advice to targeted prevention.
the authors observe that ingestion of a low-protein diet (3% of total intake) that provides twice the amount of energy required for weight maintenance causes almost an average threefold increase in FGF21... individuals who failed to significantly increase FGF21 in response to acute overfeeding with low protein gain the most weight during the follow-up.
Why this rating
Based on a single study with a small sample size and limitations acknowledged by the authors.
Source
In Pursuit of a Biomarker of Weight Gain Susceptibility—Is FGF21 a Candidate?
Leanne M. Redman et al. · Diabetes · 2019
DOI 10.2337/dbi18-0038
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