Research
Hormonal
Fasting increases the expression of leptin receptors (Ob-Rb) in the arcuate nucleus, increasing brain sensitivity to leptin.
When you fast, your brain becomes more sensitive to leptin by producing more receptors. This is an adaptive mechanism to help you survive starvation by making the existing leptin signal more effective.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
In the arcuate nucleus of both ob/ob and db/db genotypes, mRNA encoding Ob-Rb was elevated 230% compared to wild type mice... Ob-Rb mRNA levels in the arcuate nucleus of both rats and mice was significantly elevated during a period of fasting.
Why this rating
Strong evidence from in situ hybridization and binding studies in rodents.
Source
Leptin Sensitive Neurons in the Hypothalamus
David S. Baskin et al. · Hormone and Metabolic Research · 1999
DOI 10.1055/s-2007-978751
narrative_reviewCited 171×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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