Final answer:
A non-fasting individual will produce a sample with metabolic markers indicative of recent food intake, including higher blood glucose and insulin levels, reflecting an absorptive state of metabolism as opposed to a fasting or postabsorptive state.
Step-by-step explanation:
A person not in a fasting state may produce a sample that reflects their normal, non-fasting metabolism. This means that the sample could contain nutrients and biomarkers consistent with a recent intake of food, such as higher levels of glucose and insulin if the individual had consumed carbohydrates. In contrast, a fasting sample would represent a postabsorptive metabolic state, where the body relies on stored energy, glycogen and fats, leading to different biomarker levels in the sample.
For instance, when not fasting, individuals may exhibit normal blood glucose levels after consuming food due to insulin function. Soon after eating, insulin stimulates cells to absorb glucose, returning levels to the normal range. However, if a sample is collected after fasting, blood glucose would be at lower levels as the body shifts to a postabsorptive state, relying on stored glycogen and later, on body fat reserves and protein catabolism for energy, leading to the production of ketone bodies and alteration in various metabolic markers.