During a 24-hour fast, obese adults show a higher ratio of cortisol to DHEA in the early morning, indicating a shift in the balance between these two hormones.

In obese adults, a 24-hour fast is linked to a 11% increase in the average daily level of DHEA hormone, without changing the peak timing or overall range of its daily fluctuation. This suggests the adrenal glands may produce DHEA at a higher average rate during fasting, even if total production remains unchanged.

In obese adults, a 24-hour fast is linked to changes in the daily pattern of cortisol release, including a higher peak level and an earlier timing of that peak, while total cortisol production over the day remains unchanged.

In obese adults, going without food for 24 hours is linked to a 11% rise in the average daily level of DHEA hormone, without changing the total amount of DHEA produced over the day.

In obese women, skipping food for 24 hours is linked to higher peaks and an earlier timing of the daily cortisol rhythm, but these changes do not occur in obese men, suggesting that fasting affects cortisol patterns differently by sex.

In obese adults, a 24-hour fast shifts the peak time of the stress hormone cortisol earlier by about 42 to 57 minutes in those who naturally wake up early, but does not change the timing in those who naturally stay up late. This suggests that a person's internal body clock affects how their cortisol rhythm responds to fasting.