FGF21 and the Physiological Regulation of Macronutrient Preference.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of mechanistic and preclinical animal research
PubMed 32047920 · doi:10.1210/endocr/bqaa019
What was done
This narrative review summarizes literature examining how the metabolic hormone fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) acts centrally within the brain to regulate macronutrient selection, specifically focusing on responses to dietary protein and carbohydrate variations and findings from knockout mouse models.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical data or effect sizes. It qualitatively describes that high-carbohydrate, low-protein diets increase circulating FGF21. Exogenous FGF21 administration reduces the intake of sweet foods and alcohol while increasing protein consumption. Furthermore, mice lacking FGF21 or its brain signaling pathways fail to mount normal adaptive increases in protein intake during protein restriction.
Why it matters
The paper outlines a distinct neuroendocrine mechanism through which FGF21 mediates dietary homeostasis, specifically orchestrating behavioral shifts to defend protein balance.
Limits
The abstract contains no quantitative metrics, confidence intervals, or sample sizes. The underlying evidence discussed relies largely on rodent models and mechanistic studies, meaning the degree of translation to human feeding behavior and macronutrient preference remains to be established in clinical trials.
Cited by
- supports A low-protein, high-sugar diet stimulates the generation of fibroblast growth factor (FGF), which converts into high metabolic energy.