Nutritional deficiency as an evolutionary survival strategy of the organism – physiological adaptive responses to energy scarcity and their long-term health implications
Tomasz Jankowski
2026-03-25
3 min. read
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THEMATIC OVERVIEW: Examination of the biological foundations of metabolic adaptation under chronic undernourishment, covering: (1) neuroendocrine regulation of appetite and energy expenditure, (2) shifts in substrate utilization (glucose vs. ketones), (3) effects on immunological function and tissue regeneration, (4) epigenetic modifications of heritable metabolic traits, and (5) clinical aspects of reversibility in these processes during subsequent supplementation or refeeding. Analysis grounded in current evidence from preclinical and population-based research.
The malnutrition
According to the definition proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition is defined as a cellular imbalance between the demand for nutrients and energy and the supply of nutrients that allows the body to grow, maintain vital functions, and perform certain functions. Malnutrition therefore occurs when the body is supplied with too few nutrients, which means that the calories of meals are significantly lower than the minimum daily calorie intake, known as PPM.
The mechanisms by which the organism adapts to quantitative malnutrition
Long-term malnutrition, due to the use of a poorly balanced diet without expert control or as a result of severe illness, causes adverse changes in the body which can include: a reduction in the thermal activity of food under natural conditions, a portion of the food consumed being converted into energy. A nutritional deficiency is manifested by the use by the body of food only for the needs of the body related to the physiological functioning of organs and systems. The body temperature may decrease; the body's essential nutrient activity (PPM) decreases with the onset of the first week of body activity, and the body begins to reduce the amount of nutrients it can consume; or the body can reduce its body weight by reducing the body weight in order to maintain its balance with body weight.