Physiology and biochemistry of long-term fasting in birds

Cherel, Yves; Robin, Jean‐Patrice; Maho, Yvon Le

doi:10.1139/z88-022

Cited by 287 publications

(199 citation statements)

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“…The changes in body composition in an undernourished wild population of short-tailed shearwaters were consistent with other models in which birds and mammals were experimentally fasted in a controlled environment (Cherel & Le Maho 1985, Cherel et al 1987, Robin et al 1988). Birds and mammals adjust to long-term fasting and starvation by increasing fat utilization and sparing protein (Cherel et al 1988, Robin et al 1988, Groscolas et al 1991, Cherel et al 1993, Cherel et al 1995, Cherel & Groscolas 1999. Three metabolic phases have been characterized during long-term fasting and starvation in penguins and domestic geese (Cherel et al 1988).…”

Section: Changes In Body Composition With Starvationsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Birds and mammals adjust to long-term fasting and starvation by increasing fat utilization and sparing protein (Cherel et al 1988, Robin et al 1988, Groscolas et al 1991, Cherel et al 1993, Cherel et al 1995, Cherel & Groscolas 1999. Three metabolic phases have been characterized during long-term fasting and starvation in penguins and domestic geese (Cherel et al 1988). In Phase I, during the first few days without food, there is a sharp decrease in daily mass loss along with a decrease in protein catabolism.…”

Section: Changes In Body Composition With Starvationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During Phase III, there are low amounts of lipids left, protein is no longer spared and catabolism occurs, and the rate of mass loss increases. Protein catabolism increases during Phase III before lipid stores are completely depleted and is reversible (Cherel et al 1988, Cherel & Le Maho 1991, Robin et al 1998.…”

Section: Changes In Body Composition With Starvationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Starving birds and mammals adjust to long-term fasting and starvation generally by using fat reserves and sparing protein (Cherel et al 1988, Robin et al 1988, Groscolas et al 1991, Cherel et al 1993, 1995. Bone marrow lipid, which contains mainly fat cells (Little 1973), is usually one of the last lipid reserves utilized during starvation (Pond 1978).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Determining the body condition of short-tailed shearwaters: implications for migratory flight ranges and starvation events

Baduini

Lovvorn²,

Hunt³

2001

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Short-tailed shearwaters Puffinus tenuirostris migrate annually from breeding areas in southeast Australia and Tasmania to the Bering Sea to feed on abundant prey aggregations, mainly euphausiids. Occasionally thousands of shearwaters die of starvation en route, within, or on return from the Bering Sea. Collection of live and dead shearwaters in the southeastern Bering Sea in 1997, 1998, and 1999 allowed us to measure seasonal changes in energy reserves during a major mortality event. As birds lost body mass, lipid mass initially decreased faster than that of pectoralis muscle, but loss of pectoralis mass increased markedly at a body mass around 500 g when lipids were almost depleted (~33 g remaining). Death occurred as body mass approached 426 g. Individuals near this body mass had lipid values permitting estimated flight ranges of 140 to 400 km, a range less than that potentially covered in 1 d by shearwaters searching for prey (440 to 1124 km d -1 ). Seasonal differences in body composition were most striking among body and bone marrow lipid contents, with the lowest values occurring during the die-off in fall 1997 and in fall 1998. The lack of shearwater mortality in fall 1998 may have resulted from more consistent winds that decreased flight costs and from greater availability of alternative fish prey. Our data allow estimates of usable energy stores and flight ranges based on lipid reserves in short-tailed shearwaters. Estimated flight ranges suggest that if feeding conditions are poor near Japan or near other termination points of the transequatorial migration routes shearwaters may have few reserves available to support foraging for food and starvation events may occur. Our findings suggest how their energetic strategies and migration are shaped by seasonal and annual variability of prey during transglobal movements of short-tailed shearwaters between oceanic regions.

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Section: Changes In Body Composition With Starvationsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Changes In Body Composition With Starvationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Changes In Body Composition With Starvationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Determining the body condition of short-tailed shearwaters: implications for migratory flight ranges and starvation events

Baduini

Lovvorn²,

Hunt³

2001

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…Accordingly, decreased acetylation and biotin-dependent enzymes lead to reduced fatty acid oxidation and to save fat in the body. Vitamin B 6 concentrations, expected to be the last vitamin decreased in tissues by starvation (3) , decreased in the stomach, skeletal muscle and serum of the S2 rats. Vitamin B 6 in the lung and serum decreased in the S6 rats.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Different variations of tissue B-group vitamin concentrations in short- and long-term starved rats

et al. 2011

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Prolonged starvation changes energy metabolism; therefore, the metabolic response to starvation is divided into three phases according to changes in glucose, lipid and protein utilisation. B-group vitamins are involved in energy metabolism via metabolism of carbohydrates, fatty acids and amino acids. To determine how changes in energy metabolism alter B-group vitamin concentrations during starvation, we measured the concentration of eight kinds of B-group vitamins daily in rat blood, urine and in nine tissues including cerebrum, heart, lung, stomach, kidney, liver, spleen, testis and skeletal muscle during 8 d of starvation. Vitamin B 1 , vitamin B 6 , pantothenic acid, folate and biotin concentrations in the blood reduced after 6 or 8 d of starvation, and other vitamins did not change. Urinary excretion was decreased during starvation for all B-group vitamins except pantothenic acid and biotin. Less variation in B-group vitamin concentrations was found in the cerebrum and spleen. Concentrations of vitamin B 1 , vitamin B 6 , nicotinamide and pantothenic acid increased in the liver. The skeletal muscle and stomach showed reduced concentrations of five vitamins including vitamin B 1 , vitamin B 2 , vitamin B 6 , pantothenic acid and folate. Concentrations of two or three vitamins decreased in the kidney, testis and heart, and these changes showed different patterns in each tissue and for each vitamin. The concentration of pantothenic acid rapidly decreased in the heart, stomach, kidney and testis, whereas concentrations of nicotinamide were stable in all tissues except the liver. Different variations in B-group vitamin concentrations in the tissues of starved rats were found. The present findings will lead to a suitable supplementation of vitamins for the prevention of the re-feeding syndrome.Key words: Starvation: Fasting: Energy metabolism Starvation produces a series of metabolic changes that lead to a reduction in body weight, alterations in body composition and metabolic gene expression (1,2) . In mammals and birds, three distinct levels of energy depletion have been established (3 -10) . The first phase (phase 1) is a rapid period of adaptation marked by an increase in mobilisation of fat stores and a lowering in protein utilisation. During the second phase (phase 2), which is a long period of thrift, most of the energy expenditure is derived from fats, and then fat stores are progressively exhausted, while body proteins are efficiently spared. The third phase (phase 3) is characterised by an increase in protein utilisation. In humans, the negative energy balance resulting from starvation can arise due to disease, eating or psychological disorders, or hunger strikes. Starvation and consequent re-feeding syndrome can lead to electrolyte disorders, especially hypophosphataemia, along with neurological, pulmonary, cardiac, neuromuscular and haematological complications (11) . To avoid the re-feeding syndrome, an additional load of vitamins has been suggested to correct the vitamin deficiencies (11) . ...

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Integrative Physiology of Fasting

Secor

Carey

2016

Comprehensive Physiology

149

144

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Extended bouts of fasting are ingrained in the ecology of many organisms, characterizing aspects of reproduction, development, hibernation, estivation, migration, and infrequent feeding habits. The challenge of long fasting episodes is the need to maintain physiological homeostasis while relying solely on endogenous resources. To meet that challenge, animals utilize an integrated repertoire of behavioral, physiological, and biochemical responses that reduce metabolic rates, maintain tissue structure and function, and thus enhance survival. We have synthesized in this review the integrative physiological, morphological, and biochemical responses, and their stages, that characterize natural fasting bouts. Underlying the capacity to survive extended fasts are behaviors and mechanisms that reduce metabolic expenditure and shift the dependency to lipid utilization. Hormonal regulation and immune capacity are altered by fasting; hormones that trigger digestion, elevate metabolism, and support immune performance become depressed, whereas hormones that enhance the utilization of endogenous substrates are elevated. The negative energy budget that accompanies fasting leads to the loss of body mass as fat stores are depleted and tissues undergo atrophy (i.e., loss of mass). Absolute rates of body mass loss scale allometrically among vertebrates. Tissues and organs vary in the degree of atrophy and downregulation of function, depending on the degree to which they are used during the fast. Fasting affects the population dynamics and activities of the gut microbiota, an interplay that impacts the host's fasting biology. Fasting-induced gene expression programs underlie the broad spectrum of integrated physiological mechanisms responsible for an animal's ability to survive long episodes of natural fasting.

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Physiology and biochemistry of long-term fasting in birds

Cited by 287 publications

References 40 publications

Determining the body condition of short-tailed shearwaters: implications for migratory flight ranges and starvation events

Determining the body condition of short-tailed shearwaters: implications for migratory flight ranges and starvation events

Different variations of tissue B-group vitamin concentrations in short- and long-term starved rats

Integrative Physiology of Fasting

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