Question

What is the post absorptive phase of starvation?

1) Period of fasting after a meal
2) Period after digestion and absorption of nutrients
3) Period of high insulin and low blood sugar
4) Period of high blood sugar and low insulin

Answer 1

The postabsorptive phase of starvation is the period after the digestion and absorption of nutrients, where the body must rely on stored glycogen and stimulate the release of glucagon to maintain blood glucose levels.

Step-by-step explanation:

The postabsorptive phase of starvation, also known as the fasting state, refers to the period after digestion and absorption of nutrients.

During this time, food has already been digested, and nutrients have been absorbed and stored. The body begins to rely on stored glycogen.

As glucose levels in the blood drop, so do insulin levels, prompting glycogen and triglyceride storage to slow down.

To maintain normal blood glucose levels (80-120 mg/dL), the hormone glucagon is released from the alpha cells of the pancreas, which then acts upon the liver to inhibit glycogen synthesis and stimulate the breakdown of stored glycogen into glucose for the body to use as a source of energy.