Hormonal
Fasting and calorie restriction upregulate UCP2 and UCP3 mRNA expression in human skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, suggesting a metabolic adaptation to energy deficit.
When you restrict calories, your body increases the expression of specific mitochondrial proteins (UCP2 and UCP3) in muscle and fat. This is a normal adaptation to fasting, not a sign that your metabolism is permanently broken. This upregulation happens similarly in both lean and obese individuals, suggesting the regulatory machinery is intact even in obesity.
Calorie restriction induced a similar 2–2.5-fold increase in UCP2 and -3 mRNA levels in lean and obese subjects.
Why this rating
Small sample size (n=14 for fasting, n=11 for clamp), but rigorous methodology (RT-competitive PCR, controlled diet).
Source
Increased uncoupling protein-2 and -3 mRNA expression during fasting in obese and lean humans.
L. Millet et al. · Journal of Clinical Investigation · 1997
DOI 10.1172/jci119811
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