"Metabolic Memory": Effects of Diets, Fed During the First Refeeding, on Hepatic Enzyme Responses, During a Second Starvation-Refeeding

A second starvation-refeeding episode increases food intake and G6PD and ME activities compared with one cycle of starvation-refeeding. The increases can be obtained even if dietary protein or carbohydrate is omitted during the first refeeding, but not if a high-fat diet is fed during the first refeeding. The parallel changes in food intake, body weight changes, and enzyme responses suggest a basic, underlying adaptive response to caloric restriction which may have important nutritional implications.