Hormonal
Beta-adrenergic blockade via propranolol significantly reduces glucose-induced thermogenesis (GIT) in healthy humans, indicating that approximately 30% of the thermogenic response to glucose is mediated by the sympathetic nervous system.
Your body uses your sympathetic nervous system to burn extra calories when you eat, specifically in response to carbohydrates. This 'thermic effect' is not just the mechanical cost of storing food; about 30% of it is an active, regulated process driven by adrenaline-like signals. Blocking this pathway (e.g., with beta-blockers) reduces your ability to burn these excess calories, potentially contributing to weight gain or making weight loss harder.
The glucose-induced thermogenesis (GIT) was 6.5±0.3% before and 4.6±0.5% (P < 0.02) after propranolol... These findings suggest that ~70% of the thermogenic response to glucose infusion is related to the energy cost of glucose storage, while the remaining 30% is mediated via beta-adrenergic sympathetic nervous activity.
Why this rating
Randomized controlled crossover design with rigorous glucose clamp technique, though limited to healthy young males.
Source
Influence of beta-adrenergic blockade on glucose-induced thermogenesis in man.
K. J. Acheson et al. · Journal of Clinical Investigation · 1983
DOI 10.1172/jci111070
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